The Sahand-2025 anti-terrorist drills involving member countries of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) have commenced in northwestern Iran, Colonel Shahram Askarian, deputy spokesman for the IRGC land troops, confirmed.

Member states of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) will conduct joint counter-terrorism drills in Belarus next year, Yevgeny Sysoyev, head of the CIS Counter-Terror Center, announced on Thursday.

Amid rapid changes in global politics and growing competition among major power centers, regional summits and diplomatic initiatives that help shape a new balance in Eurasia have become particularly significant. The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit in Tianjin, along with leaders’ meetings and parallel talks, highlighted key trends in global security and energy. What role do Türkiye and Azerbaijan play in these developments? Why is India’s position controversial? And what place does China hold in Eurasia’s strategic architecture? News.Az discussed these questions with Hazel Cagan Elbir, an international relations expert, regional security specialist, and analyst at the Ankara Center for Eurasian Studies.

At the recent Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit, India blocked Azerbaijan’s bid to join the organisation, a move that sparked considerable debate in regional and international circles. Many observers saw this decision as a reflection of New Delhi’s complex geopolitical calculations and its growing alignment with Armenia, as well as its longstanding rivalry with Pakistan. To better understand the motivations behind India’s actions and their implications for both Azerbaijan–India relations and the broader dynamics within the SCO, News.Az spoke with Dr. Shoaib Khan of the Centre for Central Eurasian Studies, University of Mumbai, who shared his insights on this development and its potential consequences.