PM Modi arrived in Kyrgyzstan on Sunday night.
The 26th SCO Summit will be held in Bishkek from August 31 to September 1. Kyrgyzstan will host the summit, which will be chaired by President Sadyr Japarov. The conference is being held to mark 25 years of the SCO.
The theme of this year’s summit is “Moving Forward Together for Sustainable Peace, Development and Prosperity.” Leaders from 10 member countries, including India, China, Russia, Pakistan and Iran, will attend the summit. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will represent India.
Modi left for Kyrgyzstan on Sunday evening to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit after completing his two-day visit to Uzbekistan.
India and Pakistan became full members of the SCO in 2017. Iran joined in 2023, followed by Belarus in 2024. During the summit, Modi is also expected to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Modi will also attend the opening ceremony of the 6th World Nomad Games in Bishkek.
4 points to understand why the SCO Summit is important for India
- Mineral reserves: India has long been working to strengthen its ties with Central Asian countries. Central Asia has large reserves of oil, gas, uranium and other critical minerals.
- Energy needs: India wants to increase cooperation with countries in the region to meet its energy requirements.
- New business routes: India also wants to expand trade with Central Asian countries and is working to develop new trade and transport routes.
- Fight against terrorism: India is also increasing cooperation with these countries on issues such as the situation in Afghanistan and terrorism.
What is the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation?
The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation was established on June 15, 2001, in Shanghai, China. Initially, it had six members: China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.
Today, the SCO is one of the world’s largest regional organisations, with 10 full member countries. Its main objectives include promoting security, combating terrorism, increasing economic cooperation and connectivity, and strengthening cultural cooperation.
Pakistan may host the summit next year
The summit is being held as part of the SCO’s 25th anniversary celebrations. It is considered one of the year’s most important multilateral conferences in terms of Eurasian security, trade and strategic balance.
After the summit, Kyrgyzstan’s chairmanship will end, and Pakistan is expected to take over the SCO chairmanship for 2026–27. The 2027 SCO Summit has been proposed to be held in Pakistan.
The 2025 Tianjin Declaration condemned the Pahalgam attack
The picture is from September 1, 2025, when Putin, Modi, and Xi Jinping appeared to be discussing an issue.
The Tianjin Declaration of the Council of Heads of State of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) stated: “The member states strongly condemned the terrorist attack that took place in Pahalgam on April 22, 2025. They expressed their deep condolences and sympathy to the families of the deceased and injured. They also stated that the perpetrators, organizers, and sponsors of such attacks must be brought to justice.”
