Solar, wind, and hydrogen, none of them work without the right battery.
This year’s SCO Summit didn’t just discuss energy; it rewired the playbook for how nations might power the future. Behind the ceremonial handshakes and group photos, the conversations around clean energy alliances, battery innovation, and tech sovereignty revealed a quiet but significant power shift.
The stage is being set for BRICS nations and their allies to redefine who leads the next big wave of energy and technology transformation.
Why This Year’s SCO Summit Mattered
The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, formed in 2001, has grown from a security bloc to a major geopolitical platform. It now includes 10 full members: China, Russia, India, Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Iran, and Belarus.
But this year, energy dominated the conversations. With rising energy insecurity, supply chain fragility, and the race to control critical technologies, SCO countries are rethinking how to co-own and co-create the infrastructure of the green future.
Two themes stood out:
- Clean energy partnerships, with a focus on solar, wind, hydrogen, and storage.
- Digital and hardware technology collaborations to reduce dependency on Western supply chains.
The Energy Storage Pivot
The future of green energy depends less on generating power and more on storing it smartly. A solar panel is useless at night. Wind turbines can’t run without wind. That’s why battery innovation, particularly in lithium-ion and next-gen alternatives, is becoming the heart of every strategic energy discussion.
China already dominates battery production, accounting for over 75% of global capacity. But countries like India, Russia, and Iran are exploring ways to build joint research platforms, shared supply chains, and manufacturing corridors to reduce overreliance on any single country.
For India, this aligns with the country’s National Green Hydrogen Mission and push for battery gigafactories. For Russia and Central Asian nations, it’s about ensuring energy security and exporting surplus power. For China, it’s about deepening tech influence across Eurasia.
A New Energy Bloc in the Making?
While SCO and BRICS are separate forums, their overlap is strategic. All BRICS nations: Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa are SCO observers, members, or dialogue partners in some form. This year, discussions hinted at a BRICS+SCO energy-tech corridor.
Here’s what that could look like:
- Shared R&D in green hydrogen and battery chemistry.
- Cross-border manufacturing hubs for solar, wind, and EV infrastructure.
- Policy alignment to standardise technology and lower costs.
- Integrated energy grids and transmission systems.
In short, a parallel clean energy ecosystem that could compete with or at least counterbalance Western-led green alliances.
Country-Wise Stakes and Ambitions
China: The Current Powerhouse
China is already the largest producer of solar panels, EV batteries, and rare earth materials. The SCO summit reinforced Beijing’s ambition to set the standards for new technologies, from smart grids to EV charging. Expect China to lead in infrastructure investments.
India: The Emerging Challenger
India’s message was clear: energy independence and green innovation. By pushing for joint technology development, battery supply diversification, and hydrogen partnerships, India aims to future-proof its energy security while creating export potential.
Russia: The Resource Hub
With vast reserves of critical minerals and energy exports, Russia sees itself as the backbone supplier for any BRICS-led energy strategy. The SCO platform gives Moscow a way to maintain strategic relevance amid Western sanctions.
Iran and Central Asia: The Strategic Bridge
Iran’s entry into the SCO is significant. With its strategic geography, it could serve as a bridge between Asia and Europe, enabling trade in both energy and tech hardware. Meanwhile, Central Asian countries are betting on grid connectivity and export revenues.
Battery Tech: The Real Battleground
It’s not just about building solar farms or wind parks anymore. The race is to own the battery IP, secure raw materials, and build manufacturing at scale.
- Lithium and rare earth minerals are concentrated in a handful of countries.
- Battery recycling is emerging as a strategic hedge.
- Grid-scale storage is becoming a top priority for national energy security.
SCO nations are exploring joint investments in gigafactories, R&D clusters, and alternative chemistries like sodium-ion and solid-state batteries to cut costs and dependencies.
Tech and Supply Chains: Beyond Energy
Energy innovation is incomplete without the digital layer. Smart grids, EV charging infrastructure, predictive analytics, and AI-driven energy optimisation are essential to scale green energy systems.
This year’s summit also hinted at deeper tech sharing across AI, quantum communication, and cybersecurity. If executed well, it could give BRICS and SCO nations a competitive edge in setting global digital energy standards.
However, this also raises questions about data governance, technology sovereignty, and security dependencies, especially between countries with competing strategic interests like India and China.
Opportunities and Risks
Opportunities:
- Shared investments can lower the cost of clean tech.
- Energy independence reduces vulnerability to geopolitical shocks.
- Regional manufacturing hubs can create jobs and build resilience.
Risks:
- Strategic dependencies could deepen, especially if one country dominates the supply chain.
- Technology gaps between members may slow alignment.
- Competing national interests can derail joint initiatives.
A Defining Decade Ahead
The SCO Summit didn’t solve the world’s energy problems overnight. But it did something important, it signalled intent. A coordinated BRICS-SCO strategy could reshape global clean energy leadership in the coming decade.
If these nations can align on battery innovation, supply chain strategy, and tech collaboration, the next big green leap may not come from the West — but from the East.
The question now isn’t whether this power shift will happen.
It’s whether these nations can build trust, scale, and speed to make it real
