Indian Prime Minister Modi departs for Tianjin, preparing for a China-hosted summit

The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) gathering is scheduled to take place in a northern port city of Tianjin this Sunday and Monday. The SCO, comprising China, India, Russia, Pakistan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and Belarus, is a significant regional bloc that has been growing in influence over the past decade.

Among the world leaders expected to attend the military parade in nearby Beijing, though the exact date is not specified, is North Korea's Kim Jong Un. Russian President Vladimir Putin is due to attend the SCO gathering in Tianjin ahead of the summit. Putin will meet with his Iranian counterpart, Ebrahim Raisi, to discuss Tehran's nuclear program on Monday.

The relationship between Tehran and Moscow has grown even closer after Russia launched its offensive against Ukraine. Russia's foreign ministry warned that the reimposition of sanctions against Iran by Britain, France, and Germany risks "irreparable consequences."

Meanwhile, the talks between Russia and Ukraine have failed to break the deadlock over how to end the conflict. Turkey has hosted three rounds of peace talks between Russia and Ukraine this year, but progress has been slow.

India and China, the world's two most populous nations, are intense rivals competing for influence across South Asia. A deadly border clash occurred between the two countries in 2020, but a thaw began last October when Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with Chinese President Xi Jinping for the first time in five years. Modi's visit to China follows a trip to Japan, where Japan pledged to invest $68 billion in India.

Putin is also scheduled to discuss the Ukraine conflict with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Monday. The two leaders have been working to broker a peace deal in the region, but progress has been elusive.

The SCO also includes 16 other countries as observers or "dialogue partners," including Mongolia, Afghanistan, and the Maldives. These countries are expected to play a role in the discussions and decisions made at the summit.

United Nations chief Antonio Guterres met with Chinese President Xi Jinping and discussed the need to strengthen multilateralism and reform international institutions, particularly the global financial architecture. The SCO summit is an opportunity for these leaders to come together and address the challenges facing the region and the world.

Indian Prime Minister Modi departs for Tianjin, preparing for a China-hosted summit