Prime Minister Narendra Modi is in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, for the 26th Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit, where he is scheduled to hold key bilateral meetings with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian.
Modi’s meeting with Putin is expected to take place on Monday evening. The two leaders are likely to review the broader India-Russia relationship and discuss areas of mutual interest. The meeting comes as both countries continue to maintain close diplomatic, defence and economic ties.
Modi is also tentatively scheduled to meet Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian between 2.30 pm and 3 pm IST. Pezeshkian arrived in Bishkek on Monday to attend the SCO summit and the SCO Plus gathering. According to Iran’s state-run IRNA news agency, he is scheduled to address the SCO summit and hold bilateral discussions with several participating leaders, including Modi.
The Prime Minister also held a bilateral meeting with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan in Bishkek on Monday.
The SCO summit, being held on August 31 and September 1, is a major gathering of leaders from across the region. The organisation was founded in 2001 by China, Russia and four Central Asian countries. It has since expanded to include 10 members: India, China, Russia, Iran, Pakistan, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.
During the summit, India is expected to highlight its priorities of security, connectivity and opportunity. Modi will also participate in bilateral engagements with other leaders and attend the opening ceremony of the 6th World Nomad Games.
Before the summit, Modi paid floral tribute to Mahatma Gandhi at his memorial in Bishkek. The statue was unveiled by Modi himself during his visit to Kyrgyzstan in 2015.
The Prime Minister also met members of the Indian and Kyrgyz communities in Bishkek. Representatives from cultural and yoga organisations spoke about their experiences of working to strengthen cultural ties between India and Kyrgyzstan.
Kyrgyz defence officers who met Modi described the interaction as a memorable experience and highlighted the growing defence cooperation between the two countries. They particularly referred to joint military exercises such as KHANJAR and training programmes involving Indian military institutions.
Modi had earlier thanked Kyrgyzstan’s leadership for the warm welcome and said he would meet various leaders bilaterally during his visit.
The meetings with Putin and Pezeshkian are expected to draw particular attention as the SCO summit brings together several major regional powers at a time of significant geopolitical developments.
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