Narendra Modi Attends 26th SCO Summit in Bishkek

Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, on August 31 to participate in the 26th Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit and the opening ceremony of the 6th World Nomad Games. The visit follows a state visit to Uzbekistan, where India and Uzbekistan established a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.

While in Bishkek, Modi paid floral tributes at the Mahatma Gandhi memorial and engaged with the Indian diaspora and local communities through yoga demonstrations and cultural performances. His diplomatic agenda includes bilateral meetings with Russian President Vladimir Putin to discuss trade, energy, and defense, as well as talks with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov. Although Chinese President Xi Jinping is attending the summit, official sources noted that separate bilateral talks between Modi and Xi have not yet been scheduled.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian also arrived in Bishkek on Monday for the summit and the Shanghai Plus gathering. Pezeshkian is scheduled to hold bilateral meetings with several leaders, including Modi and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. Before his departure, Pezeshkian emphasized that Iran does not seek war but will respond to aggression with strength, noting that regional instability harms all nations.