Prime Minister Narendra Modi joins Xi Jinping, Vladimir Putin and other leaders in Bishkek for the SCO summit. The meeting comes as the bloc marks 25 years with security, trade and regional conflicts high on the agenda.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chinese President Xi Jinping, Russian President Vladimir Putin and other world leaders are set to meet in Kyrgyzstan’s capital, Bishkek, today for the 26th Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit.
The two-day summit, being held on August 31 and September 1, will take place as the grouping marks 25 years of its existence. The meeting is expected to focus on regional security, terrorism and transnational threats, alongside trade, energy, transport connectivity and digital cooperation. The ongoing conflict in West Asia, Ukraine war and regional developments are also expected to feature in the leaders’ discussions.
PM ARRIVES IN BISHKEK
PM Modi arrived in Bishkek on Sunday after concluding a two-day visit to Uzbekistan. He was received at the airport by Adylbek Kasymaliev, chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers of Kyrgyzstan, and was welcomed with a traditional Kyrgyz dance performance.
Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said on X that PM had arrived to participate in the SCO summit.
“The SCO Summit brings together ten Member States, fifteen Partner countries and two observer countries to advance dialogue and cooperation on regional and global issues,” Jaiswal said.
At his hotel, the PM was greeted by chants of ‘Vande Mataram’. He also witnessed a yoga performance to the patriotic song ‘Maa Tujhe Salaam’, followed by a cultural performance themed around Lord Shiva. PM Modi is attending the summit at the invitation of Kyrgyz President Sadyr Zhaparov. On his departure from India, he said he looked forward to advancing India’s vision for the region, anchored in “security, connectivity and opportunity”.
He also stressed the need for a region free from “terrorism, separatism and extremism”, which he said continue to threaten peace and stability.
XI, PUTIN AMONG KEY LEADERS IN BISHKEK
The summit is expected to see the participation of several influential leaders, including Xi, Putin, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Putin is also expected to hold separate talks with Pezeshkian and Xi, according to Kremlin spokesperson Yuri Ushakov.
PM Modi, meanwhile, is expected to hold bilateral meetings with Zhaparov, Putin and other SCO leaders on the sidelines of the summit.
SCO MARKS 25 YEARS
The SCO was formally established in 2001 by China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. India and Pakistan joined as full members in 2017, followed by Iran in 2023 and Belarus in 2024. The grouping now has 10 member states, alongside 15 dialogue partners and two observer countries, Afghanistan and Mongolia.
The SCO traces its origins to the Shanghai Five, formed in 1996 to reduce military tensions and resolve border issues among China, Russia and three former Soviet republics. The organisation describes itself as a platform for cooperation rather than a military alliance. Its founding declaration says the group is “not an alliance directed against other states”.
With about 3.4 billion people represented across its members, the SCO has become a major forum for security cooperation, economic engagement and regional diplomacy.
PM Modi will also attend the opening ceremony of the 6th World Nomad Games during his Kyrgyzstan visit. He has said the trip will help strengthen India’s strategic partnerships in Central Asia, deepen its civilisational ties with the region and advance the shared goals of peace, stability and prosperity.
WHEN PM MODI, XI AND PUTIN MET
The three leaders last appeared together at the SCO summit in Tianjin, China, in September 2025. PM Modi, Xi and Putin were photographed sharing a warm interaction on the sidelines, with the Indian Prime Minister and Russian President also seen travelling together in Putin’s car. The optics drew considerable attention because India-China ties were only beginning to thaw after years of tensions along the Line of Actual Control.
For India, the bigger takeaway was PM Modi’s meeting with Xi. The two leaders held talks against the backdrop of the 2020 border clashes and a prolonged military standoff. Their engagement followed an October 2024 agreement that helped facilitate disengagement along parts of the disputed frontier and marked an attempt to put bilateral ties back on a more stable footing.
The 2025 summit also produced discussions on counter-terrorism, peace and security, SCO development and reform of global governance, while Xi and Putin pushed a broader vision of a more multipolar international order.
With inputs from PTI
