---
title: "Council of Heads of State Definition | Model Diplomat"
description: "The Council of Heads of State is the SCO's top decision-making body, setting strategic priorities for member-state presidents. Key for diplomacy."
url: "https://modeldiplomat.com/learn/glossary/council-of-heads-of-state"
---

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Model Diplomat Research Team · Last reviewed June 22, 2026

TL;DR

- The Council of Heads of State is the supreme decision-making organ of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, comprising member-state presidents and setting the bloc's strategic priorities.
- What is the Council of Heads of State and to which organisation does it belong?
- How does the CHS differ from the Council of Heads of Government in the SCO?
- How are decisions taken in the CHS, and where are the SCO's permanent bodies located?
- When did India join the SCO and why is the CHS relevant to Indian foreign policy?

[Civil Service & Diplomatic Exams](https://modeldiplomat.com/learn/civil-services/glossary)Updated June 22, 2026

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## Timeline

1. 7 June 2002

   Petersburg on (entered into force 19 September 2003).

2. 19 September 2003

   Petersburg on 7 June 2002 (entered into force ).

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At the SCO Council of Heads of State summit in Astana on 4 July 2024, the assembled presidents admitted Belarus as the bloc's tenth full member and adopted the Astana Declaration reaffirming the Shanghai Spirit.

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