Beyond Old Faultlines

The Tianjin SCO Summit projects Eurasia's ancient civilizations as a united force, reshaping geopolitics against US dominance and Western hegemony

- DIPANKAR DEY

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping held their first meeting on Chinese soil in seven years during the last SCO Summit, held in Tianjin from August 31 to September 1, 2025. The smiling photograph of the three leaders - Modi, Xi and Putin of the Eurasian region, which epitomises the epicentre of the ancient civilizations and the 'old world', has sent a strong signal to the 'new world' led by the USA. Unlike the Cold War of the last century, which was fought between two blocs representing two different political philosophies, the Cold War of the 21st century will most likely be fought between countries belonging to the ancient and new civilizations. Although political differences (even rivalry) among a few members of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) exist, all the members of the group, namely, China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, India, Pakistan, Iran, Belarus, share strong cultural and trade relations for centuries.

The SCO Tianjin Summit 2025 was the 25th Heads of State Council meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), which was held from August 31 to September 1, 2025, in Tianjin, People's Republic of China. It was the largest summit in SCO's history, and was the fifth time that China hosted the meeting. The two-day event, attended by more than 20 leaders of non-Western countries, showcased Beijing's ambition for a new global security and economic order that challenges US hegemony. In his opening speech at the SCO Summit, the Chinese President has proposed a 'Global Governance Initiative (GGI) for working with all countries for a more just and equitable global governance system and advancing toward a community with a shared future for humanity.