Moscow / Beijing, August 27, 2025 – The Kremlin has confirmed that Russian President Vladimir Putin will attend the upcoming Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in Tianjin, China, scheduled for August 31 – September 1. Officials said preparations are underway for a series of bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the event.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told reporters that the schedule of meetings was being finalised in coordination with Chinese hosts. “Once this is finalised, we will inform you,” he said when asked about a possible meeting between Putin and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev.

SCO Summit Agenda

The SCO Summit will bring together leaders of more than 20 states, including member countries China, Russia, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Pakistan, Uzbekistan, Iran and Belarus. Observer states such as Afghanistan and Mongolia, along with 14 dialogue partners, are also expected to participate.

Formed in 2001 in Shanghai, the SCO has grown into one of the world’s largest regional organisations, focusing on political, economic and security cooperation.

India’s Participation

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will also travel to Tianjin at the invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping, following a two-day visit to Japan. According to the Ministry of External Affairs, Modi is expected to hold several bilateral discussions during the summit.

Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri confirmed that work was ongoing to finalise the Prime Minister’s meetings but refrained from confirming whether Modi and Putin would hold direct talks.

India has been a full member of the SCO since 2017 and held the presidency of the organisation in 2022–23.

Image Source: Google | Image Credit: Respective Owner