With Narendra Modi's Active Role, SCO 2025 Has Emerged As A Forum For Resistance Against US Domination

(MENAFN- The Arabian Post) By T N Ashok

NEW YORK: For the first time since 2018, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi landed in China in late August 2025, greeted warmly by President Xi Jinping for the annual Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit. Alongside Russian President Vladimir Putin, the trio projected a striking image of solidarity-three leaders from the world's most populous, energy-rich, and militarily potent nations standing together.

The symbolism was unmissable. At a time when U.S. President Donald Trump has chosen economic nationalism, rolling out punishing tariffs of 50% on Indian exports, and a web of sanctions on Russia, the SCO suddenly looks more than just a regional bloc. It is morphing into a geopolitical counterbalance-a coalition that could redefine the global order.

But what exactly does this emerging Russia–China–India alignment mean for global politics? How does it affect Washington's autonomy, Europe's fragile security, the Middle East's volatility, and the economic aspirations of the Global South? More importantly, what does India gain by defying U.S. pressure, and what might America lose?

Formed in 2001, the SCO was initially designed to combat terrorism and extremism in Central Asia. But over two decades, it has expanded to include India, Pakistan, and even Middle Eastern powers like Iran. Today, the SCO represents nearly 40% of the world's population and over a quarter of global GDP.

Trump's tariff blitz has inadvertently given the SCO new relevance. Instead of being a talk shop for Eurasian cooperation, it is now being recast as a platform for economic resistance to U.S. dominance. At the 2025 summit, Modi, Xi, and Putin echoed a shared language: multipolarity, sovereignty, and strategic autonomy.

Russia, still under Western sanctions due to its war in Ukraine, has leaned heavily on China and India for survival. Oil exports to India surged to record levels, while China remained its primary market for gas and defense collaboration. Moscow now views the SCO not merely as a forum but as a lifeline for legitimacy.

Trump's high tariffs have rattled Beijing, threatening its export-driven economy. Simultaneously, Washington has tightened controls on advanced semiconductors, artificial intelligence, and 5G technology. By deepening ties with Russia and India, Xi seeks alternative markets, security partnerships, and symbolic defiance of U.S. economic warfare.

India is the most intriguing player. Traditionally balancing between Washington and Moscow, New Delhi now faces 50% U.S. tariffs on its gems and jewellery and textile exports., the most labour intensive sectors in the country. Rather than capitulate, Modi is using the SCO stage to assert India's strategic independence, aligning with Russia and China when its interests demand while keeping doors open to the West.

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This“Axis of Necessity”-born from external pressure rather than ideological affinity-has the potential to shape the trajectory of 21st-century geopolitics.

Trump's tariff strategy aims to protect American jobs and undercut rivals, but in practice it risks accelerating the fragmentation of U.S. global dominance. By pushing China, India, and Russia closer, Washington faces the nightmare of a de facto Eurasian bloc that controls vast energy reserves, manufacturing capacity, and military might. U.S. exporters could find themselves shut out of markets where intra-SCO trade flourishes. India and China, despite tensions, may cooperate on supply chains to bypass U.S. restrictions. Russia already promotes ruble-based oil transactions, China pushes the yuan, and India experiments with rupee-settled trade. Together, they could accelerate de-dollarization, weakening America's financial leverage. By treating India-a supposed“natural ally” against China-as an economic adversary, Trump risks alienating a partner that Washington has spent two decades cultivating.

Europe, still reeling from energy crises and sluggish growth, views this new alignment with unease. A tighter Russia-China-India axis could embolden Moscow in Eastern Europe, forcing the EU to increase military reliance on Washington. With China and India redirecting trade flows, Europe risks being squeezed out of Asian markets. Many European states prefer engagement with India as a“swing power.” If New Delhi leans too far east, Brussels may lose its most promising Asian partner.

For the Middle East, particularly Iran, the SCO is a geopolitical blessing. Iran formally joined the SCO in 2023, giving Tehran new legitimacy despite U.S. sanctions. India, reliant on Iranian oil and Chabahar port access, now has a platform to balance ties without Washington's veto. Even U.S. allies like Saudi Arabia have shown interest in SCO dialogues, reflecting hedging strategies as American influence wanes. A coordinated Russia-Iran-Saudi-China framework within or adjacent to the SCO could effectively control the majority of global oil reserves, challenging U.S. leverage.

The SCO summit also has ripple effects in South Asia. As a member, Pakistan gains proximity to China and Russia but faces discomfort seeing India assume a leadership role. Though not a member, Afghanistan's stability is high on the SCO agenda, with India and China pushing infrastructure projects as U.S. influence recedes. Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh see India's defiance of U.S. tariffs as proof that middle powers can resist American economic coercion.

Across Africa, Latin America, and Southeast Asia, India's defiance resonates deeply. For nations often bullied by great-power trade restrictions, New Delhi's willingness to endure tariffs while asserting autonomy sets an example. Countries like South Africa and Nigeria may deepen ties with SCO states for alternative investment. Brazil's Lula has already echoed calls for multipolarity; SCO's rise could accelerate South-South cooperation. Southeast Asian nations, wary of choosing between the U.S. and China, may find India a neutral partner within a multipolar coalition.

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As regards energy security, cheap Russian crude, Iranian oil routes, and Chinese infrastructural investments strengthen India's resource base. By refusing to buckle under U.S. tariffs, India signals that it is not a pawn in Washington's Indo-Pacific chessboard. Within the SCO, India emerges as a swing power. Modi presents this defiance as proof of India's rising status-a narrative that resonates strongly with his nationalist base.

Washington's miscalculation could drive New Delhi closer to adversaries, undermining its“Indo-Pacific Strategy.” Tariffs that were meant to coerce may instead diversify India's markets, reducing dependence on U.S. trade. By weaponizing tariffs and sanctions indiscriminately, America risks being seen as a bully rather than a leader. If SCO nations coordinate effectively, U.S. influence over Central Asia, South Asia, and even parts of the Middle East may wane.

Despite appearances, this troika is not without faultlines. India–China border tensions remain. Their disputed Himalayan frontier remains volatile, and trust is thin. Russia fears becoming China's junior partner; India resents Beijing's Belt and Road dominance. China's GDP dwarfs both India's and Russia's combined, raising questions of balance. Thus, while Trump's tariffs have pushed them closer, their cooperation may remain transactional rather than transformative.

The 2025 SCO summit is more than a diplomatic photo-op. It reflects a world in flux-where U.S. tariffs and sanctions have accelerated the very multipolarity Washington fears. For Modi, Xi, and Putin, this is an opportunity to recast the rules of global trade, energy, and security on their terms. For Trump, it is a high-stakes gamble that could isolate America while empowering its rivals.

The“Axis of Necessity” may not be an unbreakable alliance, but it is a warning shot: the age of uncontested U.S. autonomy is fading, and Eurasia is rising as a geopolitical theater of power. Whether the world sees this as liberation from unipolar dominance or the start of new rivalries remains to be seen. But one truth is clear: India's defiance has become the rallying point for a world eager to loosen Washington's grip. (IPA Service )

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