SCO Meeting Expands Focus Amid Global Tensions

At the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) foreign ministers meeting in China, President Xi Jinping expressed stronger support for Russia, citing U.S. President Donald Trump's threat of secondary sanctions on Moscow's trading partners due to the Ukraine war. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi proposed forming a new SCO institution to counteract Western sanctions and sought Russian and Chinese backing after recent military tensions with Israel. Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar held bilateral meetings with both his Russian and Iranian counterparts, focusing on regional security and continued cooperation, while reaffirming India's commitment to deepen ties with China and support the upcoming SCO summit. Chinese officials, including Vice President Han Zheng and Foreign Minister Wang Yi, stressed the importance of enhanced China-India collaboration as leading Global South nations. The discussions highlight the SCO's growing role in addressing global economic, political, and security challenges. Preparations are underway for a high-level SCO leaders' summit in China, with an expected meeting between Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin.