Even though the summit will be conducted virtually, Beijing has a chance to assert itself as a key player within the group according to Mr Kugelman.
The remarks made by President Xi of China during the summit are anticipated to hold substantial significance, potentially solidifying China’s position as a key player within the SCO.
Mr Kugelman told CNBC: “China has a big opportunity at this meeting, in the sense that it’s been a founding member of SEO as a dominant member of the group. And as Russia becomes more dependent on China for support, economic support, and so on. It’s China’s gaining more leverage over Russia.
“And I think that might make it easier for China to carve out even more influence and carve out more influence visa vie Russia within the SCO so even though this summit will be a virtual meeting, I think that Beijing will have an opportunity to step up and really become one of the key players within this group, especially as Russia’s relative influence begins to begins to recede.”
Putin is participating in his first multilateral summit since an armed rebellion rattled Russia, at one of the few international grouping in which he enjoys warm relations with most members.
For Putin, the summit presents an opportunity to show he is in control after a short-lived insurrection by Wagner mercenary chief Yevgeny Prigozhin.
This year’s event is hosted by India, which became a member in 2017. It’s the latest venue for Prime Minister Narendra Modi to showcase the country’s growing global clout.
Days after his return from a high-profile visit to the United States, India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday had a telephone conversation with Putin about the recent developments in Russia, India’s External Affairs Ministry said.
Modi reiterated calls for dialogue and diplomacy between Russia and Ukraine, ministry spokesman Arindam Bagchi said.
India has avoided condemning Russia for its war on Ukraine and abstained from voting on U.N. resolutions against Russia.
SCO meeting usually focus on issues like security and economic cooperation, fighting terrorism and drug trafficking, tackling climate change and the situation in Afghanistan.
When SCO foreign ministers met in India last month, Russia’s war in Ukraine barely featured in their public remarks but the fallout for developing countries on food and fuel security remains a concern for members of the group, analysts say.
The Shanghai Cooperation Organization is a security grouping founded by Russia and China to counter Western alliances from East Asia to the Indian Ocean. The group includes the four Central Asian nations of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, all former Soviet republics in which Russian influence runs deep. Pakistan became a member in 2017, and Iran, which is set to join on Tuesday. Belarus is also in line for membership.
The United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in a message to the summit that it was taking place amid growing global challenges and risks. “But at a time when the world needs to work together, divisions are growing, and geopolitical tensions are rising.”
He said: “These differences have been aggravated by several factors: diverging approaches to global crises; contrasting views on nontraditional security threats; and, of course, the consequences of COVID-19 and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.”
