Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi is set to hold bilateral meetings with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, on Monday.
Modi arrived in Bishkek on Sunday, August 30, to participate in the 26th SCO Leadership Summit, which brings together 10 member states, 15 partner countries, and two observer countries to advance dialogue and cooperation on regional and global issues.
Putin and Pezeshkian are also expected to hold separate bilateral talks during the summit. Russia and Iran have deepened their military and economic ties since the 2022 Russian-Ukraine War, while the two countries remain among the most sanctioned states in the world.
The Bishkek summit comes as SCO members navigate the Ukraine and Iran conflicts as well as trade tensions involving the United States. The grouping, which is marking its 25th anniversary this year, brings together Russia, China, India, Pakistan, Iran, four Central Asian countries, and Moscow-allied Belarus.
Chinese President Xi Jinping and Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif are also due to take part in the plenary session chaired by Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov. Turkey’s Recep Tayyip Erdogan is also expected to attend, though his country is not a formal member of the SCO.
The SCO has historically focused on economic issues, but has gained momentum in recent years under Moscow and Beijing’s leadership. The grouping has 10 members, 15 dialogue partners, including Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Qatar, and two observer countries, Afghanistan and Mongolia.
According to the MEA, PM Modi is also scheduled to hold a number of bilateral meetings with other leaders on the sidelines of the summit.
Modi pays tribute to Gandhi, interacts with Indian community in Bishkek
Ahead of his participation in the summit, PM Modi on Monday paid tribute to MK Gandhi at his memorial in Bishkek.
The statue was unveiled by PM Modi during his visit to Kyrgyzstan in 2015.
PM Modi also met and interacted with members of the Indian community in Bishkek.
PM Modi’s Uzbekistan visit
Modi’s arrival in Bishkek marks the second leg of his two-country visit after concluding his State Visit to Uzbekistan, where he held extensive talks with Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev.
During the Uzbekistan visit, India and Uzbekistan elevated their relationship to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and agreed to expand cooperation across trade and investment, infrastructure, digital public infrastructure, Artificial Intelligence, critical minerals, energy, space, agriculture, healthcare, pharmaceuticals, education, and culture.
The two countries also set an ambitious target of increasing bilateral trade to USD 5 billion by 2030, with a focus on improving market access, connectivity, and banking and payment systems.
Before leaving Tashkent, PM Modi thanked President Mirziyoyev for the hospitality extended to him during the visit.
“Thank you, Uzbekistan! Gratitude to President Mirziyoyev for his warmth, attention to detail, and personal commitment to the India-Uzbekistan friendship,” PM Modi said.
During his State Visit, PM Modi also paid a floral tribute to former PM Lal Bahadur Shastri at the Shastri Memorial in Tashkent.
“Paid homage to former Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri Ji in Tashkent. We remember a towering statesman whose unwavering commitment to the nation continues to inspire generations,” he said.
(With ANI and AFP inputs)
PM Modi to meet Putin, Iran's Pezeshkian at SCO Summit in Bishkek today
