BEIJING: Chinese President Xi Jinping will welcome world leaders, including Russian President Vladimir Putin and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, for a summit before a grand military parade.

The event aims to showcase a non-Western approach to regional collaboration.

The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit is set to take place on Sunday and Monday, with the military parade in Beijing scheduled for the following days to mark 80 years since World War II's end.

Notably, North Korea's Kim Jong Un will also attend the parade.The SCO comprises China, India, Russia, Pakistan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and Belarus, with 16 more countries affiliated as observers or 'dialogue partners.' China and Russia have leveraged the organization to strengthen ties with Central Asian states.

As both countries face tension with Western powers over issues like Taiwan's sovereignty and Ukraine's invasion, the SCO serves as a platform for them to gain influence.Over 20 leaders, including Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, will attend what is considered the largest SCO meeting since its inception in 2001.

This gathering enables Beijing to demonstrate its convening power, according to Lizzi Lee from the Asia Society Policy Institute.

However, minimal substantial outcomes are expected, as the summit primarily focuses on optics and agenda-setting.Analysts note that while the SCO operates by consensus, countries with deep divisions, such as India and Pakistan or China and India, are present.

This limits the organization's ambition to achieve concrete objectives.

Beijing aims to show its capability to unite diverse leaders and reinforce the notion that global governance is not Western-dominated.

Assistant Foreign Minister Liu Bin emphasized that the summit will promote stability amid 'hegemonism and power politics,' a veiled reference to the United States.Putin's attendance at the SCO summit comes as Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky maintains that direct talks with Putin are essential for progress.

However, Moscow has ruled out any immediate meetings between the two leaders.

At the summit, Putin is expected to demonstrate Russia's continued support from non-Western partners and promote its narrative on the causes and desired outcomes of the conflict.The ongoing tension surrounding Ukraine will be present during discussions but likely not at the forefront of the agenda.

The SCO tends to avoid topics that divide its members, with Ukraine clearly falling into this category.

Despite this, Putin aims to show that he is not isolated, reaffirming partnerships with Xi and maintaining Russia's visibility in Eurasia.Modi's visit marks his first trip to China since 2018, amid intense rivalry between the two nations vying for influence in South Asia and a past deadly border clash in 2020.

A thaw began last October when Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping met after a five-year gap at a summit in Russia.

They have since sought to mend ties amidst geopolitical turbulence caused by the United States' tariff war.China is expected to make significant efforts to strengthen its relationship with India, particularly regarding trade issues with the US.

However, fundamental differences between the two countries may not be easily resolved.

While a temporary truce or cooling of tensions might be possible, it remains uncertain.

Modi's potential attendance at the military parade would serve as an indicator of the shifting dynamics in the geopolitical contest between the West and China.In August, China and India agreed to restart direct flights, advance talks on their disputed border, and increase trade.

The upcoming summit is expected to focus on these developments and furthering economic cooperation between the two nations.