How Pakistan Drew on the SCO Summit to Push Its Agenda with China, India, Iran, and Russia

The recent Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) leaders’ summit was a stage for global power politics. India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi used the opportunity to project India as a rising leader in a multipolar world, with strong media coverage framing the summit as an answer to U.S. influence. Pakistan, however, played a different hand. Instead of theatrics, Islamabad chose a steady, businesslike approach, one that showed commitment to the forum and highlighted its own security and diplomatic interests.

Keeping Pakistan Visible on the Global Stage

For Pakistan, the SCO is more than just a regional gathering. It is one of the few international platforms where Islamabad stands shoulder to shoulder with powerful states like China, Russia, and Iran, without being overshadowed by India. While India often tries to dominate the narrative, Pakistan sees value in ensuring that it is never sidelined.

By attending at the highest level, with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir both active, Pakistan demonstrated that it takes the SCO seriously. Islamabad used the summit to underline its importance as a partner in regional security and connectivity.

A Win on Terrorism Language

One of Pakistan’s most significant gains came from the summit’s joint declaration. SCO leaders strongly condemned a series of terrorist attacks in Pakistan: the March 11 Jaffar Express hijacking, the May 21 Khuzdar bombing, and the April 22 Pahalgam attack.

For Pakistan, this was no small achievement. It placed Pakistan’s security concerns on the international table, pushing back against India’s repeated attempts to label Pakistan only as a source of instability.

Instead, the condemnation created space for Pakistan to be seen as a victim of terrorism, not just an accused perpetrator. It also added weight to the global consensus against groups like the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), which had already been labeled a terrorist group by the United States in August.

Strengthening the China Partnership

The most important engagement for Pakistan came in the meeting between Prime Minister Sharif, Army Chief Munir, and Chinese President Xi Jinping. China framed the relationship in terms of once-in-a-century transformations, making it clear that Beijing still sees Pakistan as a key partner in its long-term vision.

China’s pledge to support Pakistan’s national strength signals more than just political friendship. It points to continued military and economic backing. This is especially crucial for Islamabad after the May clash with India, as Pakistan seeks to maintain balance in South Asia’s shifting power dynamics.

Pakistan Advances Its Interests with India, Iran, and Russia

Managing the India Factor

India entered the summit with high visibility. Prime Minister Modi made a strong push to showcase India as a global power and frame the SCO as a platform for its strategic rise. For Pakistan, this presented both a challenge and an opportunity.

Islamabad avoided a direct clash with New Delhi, instead adopting a more measured and calm posture. By securing language in the joint declaration condemning terrorist attacks on Pakistani soil, Islamabad complicated India’s efforts to portray Pakistan as the sole source of regional instability. This subtle move allowed Pakistan to shift some of the international spotlight onto its own security concerns, while resisting India’s attempts to dominate the narrative.

Opening Space with Iran

Pakistan also used the summit to engage with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian. The timing is significant. U.S. Secretary of State Rubio recently mentioned Pakistan’s possible role as a mediator in U.S.-Iran conversations. While still early, this position puts Pakistan as a bridge-builder between rivals, a role that could enhance its diplomatic relevance far beyond South Asia.

Careful Steps with Russia

The meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin was also notable. Sharif made it clear that Pakistan respects Moscow’s partnership with India, but also wants to strengthen ties with Russia. For Islamabad, this balancing act is delicate but important; keeping doors open with Moscow while not triggering unnecessary tensions with New Delhi.

Pakistan’s Quiet but Strategic Gains

Unlike India’s loud display at the SCO, Pakistan chose a quieter path, but one with substance. By securing international recognition of its security concerns, deepening ties with China, opening dialogue with Iran, and cautiously building relations with Russia, Islamabad advanced its key aims.

Still, at home, the summit did not create the same excitement as another diplomatic moment this year: Army Chief Asim Munir’s lunch meeting with former U.S. President Donald Trump, widely seen as Pakistan’s most consequential diplomatic engagement of 2025.

Conclusion

The SCO summit did not dramatically change Pakistan’s global position, but it strengthened its quiet strategy. Pakistan used the forum to make sure it was seen and heard alongside the world’s biggest powers. By pushing for recognition of terrorism on its soil, Pakistan shifted attention to its own security concerns.
It also deepened trust with China, gaining assurances of support for its national strength. With Iran, it opened space for future mediation roles that could raise Pakistan’s diplomatic profile. With Russia, it carefully built ties while respecting Moscow’s closeness with India.
Unlike India’s flashy approach, Pakistan stayed steady, patient, and work-focused. The strategy shows Islamabad values substance over spectacle in global politics. In a shifting regional order, Pakistan’s quiet moves may prove more lasting than loud displays.

The author Anum Malik, is affiliated with the State News Agency and contributes her research to the think tank, CDS.

*The views and opinions expressed herein, and any references, are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the editorial policy of the Centre for Development and Stability (CDS).