There are few institutions on the planet as friendly to Russia as the Shanghai Co-operation Organisation (SCO) – an international collaboration of 10 member states, including China, India, Pakistan, Iran, as well as Russia itself.
While most international bodies are dominated by the USA and its allies, meetings of the SCO are an opportunity for member states to make plans without Western nations in the room – a particularly useful opportunity for countries sanctioned by the US and cut off from trade with much of the world as a result.
So, if Vladimir Putin can expect a friendly reception anywhere, it’s here. But at this year’s meeting of leaders from the 10 nations, he got a very public dressing down instead – from India’s Prime Minister, Narendra Modi.
Shorts
India is the world’s most populous nation, and one of the fastest-growing economically, meaning it is only becoming more important for world trade, and for geopolitics. It maintains friendly trading relations with the USA and with European nations, but unlike Western nations it declined to sever ties with Russia following its invasion of Ukraine.
