Modern threats do not wait for governments to agree on how to respond together. Drug networks, cybercriminals, human trafficking and extremist groups move across borders faster than many institutions can act. States often move more slowly, especially when they have to cooperate. Especially when political trust is limited. This is why coordination, even without perfect agreement, has become one of the most valuable assets in international security.

As the Shanghai Cooperation Organization marks its 25th anniversary in 2026, its experience deserves attention beyond the usual discussion of counter-terrorism. The SCO was founded in Shanghai in June 2001 by China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. It has since expanded into a broader Eurasian organization with 10 member states, including India, Pakistan, Iran and Belarus. Its growth has made the SCO both more diverse and more complex.

That complexity is precisely the point. The SCO’s real strength is not that its members always see the world in the same way. They do not. They differ in size, geography, political traditions, economic interests and foreign policy priorities. The organization’s importance lies in something more practical: it provides a framework in which states with different........

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