Modi Meets Putin and Pezeshkian at SCO Summit in Bishkek

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi traveled to Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, on August 31, 2026, for the 26th Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit. During the event, Modi held high-level bilateral talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian to balance strategic partnerships amid escalating global conflicts.

In meetings with President Putin, Modi urged a transition from "endless wars to ending wars," specifically regarding the conflict in Ukraine, stating that "every day of war sets humanity back." The two leaders reviewed their Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership, noting a 2.6% increase in trade turnover and a surge in Indian students studying in Russia. The meeting concluded with "car diplomacy," as the two leaders traveled together to the opening ceremony of the World Nomad Games.

Modi also held his first in-person meeting in two years with President Pezeshkian. Amid a six-month war between the U.S. and Iran, Pezeshkian accused the United States of failing to fulfill commitments and urged India to use its international influence to steer Washington toward dialogue. Modi emphasized the need to safeguard freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz and protect commercial shipping and civilians. He invited Pezeshkian to the upcoming BRICS Summit in New Delhi on September 12-13.

Prior to the summit, Modi visited Tashkent, Uzbekistan, establishing a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and a $5-billion trade target for 2030. Throughout the summit, India pushed for a joint declaration explicitly condemning "cross-border terrorism" following the April 2025 Pahalgam attack.