Kyrgyzstan is seeking to strengthen its position between major global powers as leaders from China, Russia, India, Iran, Pakistan and other countries gather in Bishkek for a pivotal Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit.
The meeting brings together leaders from countries at the centre of some of the world's most significant geopolitical tensions. Although the members do not agree on every issue, the SCO provides a platform for them to pursue their interests outside a Western-led international framework.
Russian President Vladimir Putin described the SCO as an increasingly influential centre of the emerging multipolar world, noting that the organisation has expanded from six founding members in 2001 into one of the world's largest regional groupings.
For Kyrgyzstan, however, the summit is also about managing its relationships with competing global powers.
The mountainous, landlocked Central Asian country borders Russia and China and remains dependent on external transport routes, energy supplies and foreign markets. As the United States and Europe increase their engagement with Central Asia, Bishkek is attempting to maintain close relations with Moscow and Beijing while keeping its ties with Washington and European countries open.
Shairbek Dzhuraev, president of the Crossroads Central Asia think tank, said the summit was particularly significant because many of the participating countries are directly involved in major geopolitical conflicts.
Since gaining independence in 1991, Kyrgyzstan and other Central Asian countries have generally followed a "multi-vector" foreign policy, seeking to avoid becoming overly dependent on any single major power.
The changing geopolitical environment has increased the strategic importance of Central Asia. Russia faces Western sanctions, Iran is also under heavy sanctions, China is expanding its economic reach and Europe is seeking stronger connections with the region.
As trade routes change, highways, railways, pipelines and energy networks are becoming increasingly important. Kyrgyzstan hopes to use its geographic position to attract investment and strengthen its role as a regional transit hub.
The SCO is increasingly viewed as a potential counterweight to US influence, particularly because of the prominent roles played by China and Russia. However, the organisation is not a unified anti-American alliance. Its members have different interests, varying relationships with Washington and, in some cases, serious disagreements with one another.
Iran's confrontation with the United States has also featured prominently at the summit. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said Tehran was prepared to take reciprocal steps if Washington returned to its commitments under a memorandum of understanding signed in Islamabad in June.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi similarly called on the United States to return to the commitments agreed under the memorandum, saying the situation could then be put back on track.
The issue also has economic implications for the SCO. The United States has renewed sanctions against Iran and increased pressure on businesses dealing with Tehran. Central Asian countries, whose economies are increasingly linked to Russia, China and Iran, could face difficulties balancing their economic interests with Western sanctions.
Dzhuraev said official declarations on sanctions may not always reflect what happens in practice, as regional economies are deeply connected through cross-border trade and transport networks.
The summit therefore provides SCO members with an opportunity to demonstrate opposition to unilateral pressure while promoting greater economic and diplomatic cooperation.
Beyond geopolitics, Kyrgyzstan is also facing questions about whether its recent economic growth can be sustained.
The country has experienced increased transit trade, higher wages, expanding construction and rising exports. Chinese investment and changes in regional trade caused by the Russia-Ukraine war have contributed to the economic momentum.
However, analysts warn that relying heavily on external factors could create long-term vulnerabilities. Kyrgyzstan needs to develop productive sectors capable of sustaining growth after current geopolitical and economic conditions change.
Agriculture remains one potential source of future growth, although climate change, including melting glaciers, presents additional challenges.
Ultimately, Kyrgyzstan hopes to turn its geographic position from a vulnerability into an economic and political advantage. The broader question is whether Central Asia can evolve from being a region caught between major powers into an influential centre in its own right.
For Bishkek, maintaining balanced relations with Russia, China, Iran, Europe and the United States may remain its most important strategy as the global geopolitical order continues to shift.
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