‘Would Consider Full Membership’: Turkey Knocks On SCO’s Door After Bishkek Summit | World News

Last Updated:September 02, 2026, 16:42 IST

Turkish President Erdogan said Turkey would consider full membership of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation after attending its Bishkek summit.

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan attended the Shanghai. (IMAGE: REUTERS)

NATO member Turkey would consider taking its relations with the China- and Russia-led Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) to a higher level, President Tayyip Erdogan said on Wednesday.

“Turkey’s prospect of (full) membership to the organisation does not imply a breakaway from any other bloc or from the West,” Erdogan said, according to a transcript of remarks he made to journalists, accessed by news agency Reuters, on his return flight from Kyrgyzstan.

Erdogan attended the SCO summit in Bishkek on Tuesday. Turkey is currently a “dialogue partner” of the organisation.

Erdogan’s remarks signal a possible move towards closer ties with the SCO, even as Turkey remains a member of NATO and maintains its longstanding links with Western institutions.

He stressed that pursuing full membership of the SCO would not mean Turkey was turning away from its existing alliances or relations with the West.

The SCO was founded by China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan in 2001. India and Pakistan joined the organisation in 2017, while Iran became a full member in 2023.

Turkey became an SCO dialogue partner in 2013, allowing it to participate in some of the organisation’s activities without being a full member.

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How would Turkey’s SCO membership impact NATO?

According to Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan, Turkey’s pursuit of full membership in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) would not result in a breakaway from NATO or the West. He emphasised that upgrading relations with the China- and Russia-led bloc does not imply turning away from Turkey’s existing alliances or Western institutions.

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Shankhyaneel Sarkar

Shankhyaneel Sarkar is a chief sub editor at News18. He covers international affairs, where he focuses on breaking news to in-depth analyses. He has over seven years of experience during which he has …Read More

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