SCO leaders adopt Bishkek Declaration to expand cooperation on security, trade and technology

Leaders of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) member states on Tuesday adopted the "Bishkek Declaration", setting out plans to deepen cooperation on security, trade and technology as the organisation marked its 25th anniversary.

The declaration was adopted at a meeting of the SCO Council of Heads of State in the Kyrgyz capital, bringing together key regional leaders including Chinese President Xi Jinping, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The declaration reaffirmed the 10 member states' commitment to international law and the UN Charter and called for strengthening the UN's role in maintaining international peace and security and advancing sustainable development.

It also backed what the members described as a more representative and just multipolar world order, while calling for reforms to global governance that would give states a more equal role in decision-making.

The declaration also called for the responsible use of artificial intelligence (AI), reforms to global economic governance and stronger cooperation on sustainable development, while opposing what it described as "double standards", particularly on human rights.

The group also emphasised the non-military nature of the SCO, saying its members "adhere to an approach that excludes bloc-based and confrontational methods of addressing international and regional development issues".

Beyond the declaration, leaders signed more than 20 other documents covering security, drug trafficking, technology, transport, energy and environmental cooperation.

The measures included steps to strengthen regional security and counter drug trafficking, expand transport and logistics links, develop AI and digital infrastructure, and deepen cooperation on energy and environmental issues.

The summit also approved closer cooperation between the SCO and the African Union Commission and designated Lahore, Pakistan, as the SCO's tourism and cultural capital for 2026-2027.

Read: Xi, Modi, Putin to meet in Kyrgyzstan: what to watch at SCO summit

What is the SCO?

The SCO traces its roots to the "Shanghai Five," established in 1996 by China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan to reduce military tensions and address border disputes following the breakup of the Soviet Union.

Uzbekistan joined when the SCO was formally established in 2001, and the grouping remained largely centred on China, Russia and Central Asia for much of its early history.

Its international profile grew significantly as it expanded. India and Pakistan became full members in 2017, followed by Iran in 2023 and Belarus in 2024.

For Iran, membership marked a major diplomatic opening after years of geopolitical isolation, while Belarus's accession reflected its broader pivot toward non-Western partners

The SCO comprises 10 member states: Belarus, China, India, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.

Together, SCO members have a population of around 3.4 billion, span a vast stretch of Eurasia and account for around 25% of global GDP.

Unlike NATO, the SCO is not a military alliance, nor is it an economic union like the EU. Instead, its consensus-based structure provides a forum for security cooperation, economic ties and diplomacy among countries that do not necessarily share the same interests.

The SCO enters its second quarter-century as economic activity shifts toward Asia, supply chains are reconfigured, and countries seek new trade and diplomatic partnerships.

Pakistan would take over the SCO chairmanship from Kyrgyzstan and host the next meeting of the Council of Heads of State in 2027.