Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to hold a bilateral meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. The meeting is expected to cover key bilateral, regional and global issues, with trade, economic cooperation and energy likely to be among the important areas of discussion.
According to the Ministry of External Affairs, Modi will begin his foreign visit on August 29. He is scheduled to travel to Uzbekistan from August 29 to 30 before heading to Kyrgyzstan for the SCO summit from August 31 to September 1.
The meeting with Putin comes at a time when India-Russia ties remain closely focused on energy, fertilisers, trade and broader economic cooperation. The two countries have maintained regular high-level contact despite major geopolitical disruptions in recent years.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar had recently met Putin during his visit to Russia. During that interaction, the Russian president expressed his hope of meeting Modi on the sidelines of the SCO summit. Putin also conveyed his best wishes to the Indian prime minister.
Energy and fertiliser supplies are expected to remain important subjects in the Modi-Putin discussion. During Jaishankar's recent meeting, Putin assured India that Russia would continue supplying energy and fertilisers despite disruptions linked to the West Asia conflict. He also said Russia was increasing fertiliser supplies to India and was ready to do more to support Indian agriculture.
Trade and economic cooperation are also likely to receive attention. India and Russia have been working to expand economic engagement and increase bilateral trade, with both sides looking for ways to strengthen business and investment ties.
Modi's Uzbekistan visit will also focus on strengthening India's strategic partnership with the Central Asian country. The prime minister is expected to hold delegation-level talks with Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev.
The two leaders are likely to review cooperation in areas such as trade, investment, defence, digital connectivity, energy and education. People-to-people ties and future cooperation under India's Viksit Bharat 2047 vision and Uzbekistan's development programme are also expected to feature in the discussions.
The upcoming SCO summit will bring together leaders from major countries across the region. Modi's meetings on the sidelines, particularly with Putin, will be closely watched for their potential impact on India's foreign policy, economic interests and regional cooperation.
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