The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in 2025 has marked a significant shift in global geopolitics, with the Global South asserting its role in shaping a post-Western world. The summit highlighted the SCO’s growing importance as a platform for nations to prioritize sovereignty, non-interference, and alternative development models. Leaders like Vladimir Putin, Narendra Modi, and Recep Tayyip Erdogan emphasized the organization’s role in challenging Western dominance and promoting a multipolar world order.
The summit, held in China, brought together a diverse array of leaders, including Russian President Vladimir Putin, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The meeting underscored the SCO’s role as a cornerstone of a multipolar world, with a focus on fostering economic cooperation and addressing shared challenges. Putin’s presence highlighted the organization’s strategic importance, while Modi’s visit to China aimed to strengthen bilateral ties and explore new opportunities for collaboration. Erdogan’s participation signaled Turkey’s commitment to expanding its influence within the SCO.
The SCO’s initiatives, such as the proposed SCO Development Bank, aimed to reduce member states’ dependence on Western financial institutions and address the impact of sanctions. The summit also produced the Tianjin Declaration, outlining the organization’s principles of non-interference and respect for sovereignty. The absence of discussions on Ukraine highlighted the Global South’s focus on broader global governance issues, rather than regional conflicts.
The summit’s outcomes reflect a growing consensus among member states to challenge Western dominance and promote a more balanced global order. As the SCO continues to expand its membership and influence, it is increasingly positioned as an alternative center of power in global politics. This shift marks the end of the West’s hegemonic era and the emergence of a multipolar world driven by the Global South.