Uzbekistan Selected to Host SCO Council of Heads of Government in 2027
Uzbekistan has been chosen to host the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Council of Heads of Government meeting in 2027 during the 25th summit held in Dushanbe, Tajikistan. The rotating chairmanship was formally handed over by Tajikistan's Prime Minister Kokhir Rasulzoda to Uzbek Prime Minister Abdulla Aripov. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh represented the Indian delegation at the summit.
What happened
The 25th meeting of the Council of Heads of Government (CHG) of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) was held in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, on 19–20 October 2026. During the summit, the rotating chairmanship of the CHG was officially transferred to the Republic of Uzbekistan, which will host the next Council of Heads of Government meeting in 2027. The announcement was made by the Prime Minister of Tajikistan, Kokhir Rasulzoda, who chaired the summit proceedings.
Uzbekistan was represented at the meeting by Prime Minister Abdulla Aripov, who extended an invitation to counterparts to convene in Uzbekistan in 2027. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh led the Indian delegation at the meeting. During the summit, the visiting heads of delegations were also received by the President of Tajikistan, Emomali Rahmon.
The 25th CHG summit yielded several key administrative and multilateral decisions. Member states adopted a Joint Communiqué, approved the formal SCO budget for the year 2027, and endorsed the Action Plan for 2026–2030 under the Programme of Multilateral Trade and Economic Cooperation (PMTEC). This followed the 24th CHG meeting, which was held in Moscow, Russia, on 18 November 2025, where External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar had represented India.
The Council of Heads of Government serves as the SCO's second-highest decision-making organ, primarily steering cooperation in economic affairs, trade, finance, transport, and budgetary approval. Alongside Uzbekistan's upcoming CHG role, Pakistan assumed the rotating chair of the higher-tier SCO Council of Heads of State (CHS) for 2027 and is slated to host the Heads of State summit that year.
Important dates
| 25th SCO CHG Meeting in Dushanbe | 19–20 October 2026 |
|---|---|
| 24th SCO CHG Meeting in Moscow | 18 November 2025 |
| Belarus formally joined SCO | July 2024 |
| Iran formally joined SCO (New Delhi Summit) | July 2023 |
| India and Pakistan full membership (Astana Summit) | June 2017 |
| SCO Charter entered into force | 19 September 2003 |
| Founding of the SCO | 15 June 2001 |
📌 Static GK links
- Establishment: The SCO was established on 15 June 2001 in Shanghai, China, by China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan.
- Predecessor: The grouping evolved from the 'Shanghai Five', originally formed on 26 April 1996.
- Foundational Document: The SCO Charter was signed in St. Petersburg in June 2002 and entered into force on 19 September 2003.
- Secretariat: Headquartered in Beijing, China, under Secretary-General Nurlan Yermekbayev.
- Counter-Terrorism Body: The Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS) was established in June 2004 during the Tashkent Summit; its Executive Committee is headquartered in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, led by Director Ularbek Sharsheev.
- Current 10 Member States: Belarus, China, India, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan.
- CHG Mandate: The Council of Heads of Government handles the SCO's multilateral economic, trade, and financial cooperation and approves the organisation's annual budget.
What candidates should do
- Differentiate clearly between the host nations for the Council of Heads of Government (Uzbekistan in 2027) and the Council of Heads of State (Pakistan in 2027).
- Track the timeline of member state expansions, particularly the accession of India and Pakistan (2017), Iran (2023), and Belarus (2024).
- Note the locations of permanent SCO bodies: Secretariat in Beijing and RATS Executive Committee in Tashkent.
PrepZen analysis
International summits and regional groupings are core topics across UPSC Prelims, State PSC, SSC, and Banking General Awareness examinations. Questions frequently target summit host countries, rotating chairmanships, institutional structures, and membership expansion. Aspirants should take careful note of the two parallel tracks within the SCO: the Council of Heads of State (CHS, the supreme political decision-making body) and the Council of Heads of Government (CHG, focused on trade, connectivity, and budget). Questions may test candidates on the distinction between the 2027 CHG host (Uzbekistan) and the 2027 CHS host (Pakistan), as well as India's ministerial representation at these forums.
Practice questions
Q1. Which country has been selected to host the SCO Council of Heads of Government (CHG) meeting in 2027?
Q2. Who represented India at the 25th SCO Council of Heads of Government meeting held in Dushanbe in October 2026?
Q3. Where is the Executive Committee of the SCO Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS) headquartered?
SCO has 10 members after Belarus formally joined in 2024.
India and Pakistan became permanent members at Astana Summit in 2017.
🎯 Key Point: Uzbekistan to host SCO Heads of Government meeting in 2027.
FAQs
Which country will host the SCO Council of Heads of Government summit in 2027?
Uzbekistan will host the SCO Council of Heads of Government (CHG) summit in 2027, following the handover of the chairmanship at the Dushanbe summit in October 2026.
How many member states does the SCO currently have?
The SCO has 10 permanent member states: Belarus, China, India, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. Belarus became the 10th member in July 2024.
What is the key role of the SCO Council of Heads of Government?
The Council of Heads of Government (CHG) is the second-highest organ of the SCO. It is responsible for setting economic, financial, connectivity, and trade policies, and approving the annual budget of the organisation.
Who is the current Secretary-General of the SCO?
The Secretary-General of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation is Nurlan Yermekbayev.
Sources and references
- tribuneindia.com (www.tribuneindia.com)
- mfa.tj (www.mfa.tj)
- kun.uz (kun.uz)
- sectsco.org (eng.sectsco.org)
Prepared by PrepZen for exam preparation. Consult the linked sources for original announcements and current details. Corrections policy. Spotted an error? Write to prepzen.app@gmail.com.
Practice Quiz — 21 October 2026
Q1. Under which Article of the Constitution of India is the Governor of a State appointed by the President?
Q2. Who has succeeded Ajit Agarkar as the Chairman of the BCCI Senior Men's Selection Committee?
Q3. Which of the following statements regarding the Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar is correct?
Q4. Which bank was named the 'World's Best Consumer Bank 2026' by Global Finance magazine?
Q5. What is the name of the two-day international central banking seminar inaugurated by RBI in New Delhi?
Keep Learning with PrepZen
Get daily current affairs, live mock tests, mistake bank, vocab builder & more — all free on your phone.