New Delhi/ Bishkek, September 1, 2026

Prime Minister Narendra Modi joined Russian President Vladimir Putin, Chinese President Xi Jinping and other Eurasian leaders at the 26th Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Summit in Bishkek on Tuesday. Terrorism, regional conflicts, connectivity and economic cooperation dominated the opening session.

The summit also produced a significant diplomatic frame. Modi, Putin and Xi exchanged greetings during the traditional group photograph at the Yrys Ordo Congress Hall. Their handshake and brief conversation reflected the importance of the three major powers within the SCO.

Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov welcomed the leaders before chairing the summit. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko and the presidents of Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan were among those present.

The interaction between Modi, Putin and Xi attracted attention amid changes in the global strategic order. India has retained its traditional partnership with Russia while also working to stabilise relations with China. India-China ties have improved gradually after military disengagement at some friction points along the Line of Actual Control. Diplomatic exchanges have also resumed. However, no formal meeting between Modi and Xi was announced in Bishkek. Their exchange at the photo session was a diplomatic gesture.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi used his summit address to seek united action against terrorism. He said the entire terrorist ecosystem, including financing, recruitment, radicalisation and safe havens, must be dismantled. He also warned against double standards in dealing with terrorism. No country should treat terrorism as a strategic asset, he said. The remarks carried added significance as Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif was present at the session.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi placed India’s SCO approach on three pillars—Security, Connectivity and Opportunity. He called for reliable and inclusive connectivity while underlining the need to respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries. He also sought simpler customs procedures, wider use of digital documentation and more efficient logistics. SCO cooperation, he said, should create visible opportunities for young people, farmers and entrepreneurs.

The summit concluded with the adoption of the Bishkek Declaration marking the SCO’s 25th anniversary. The leaders reaffirmed their commitment to regional security, economic cooperation and the SCO Development Strategy until 2035. They also approved measures covering counter-terrorism, drug trafficking, cyber security, artificial intelligence, energy, climate action and transport connectivity. In all, 28 documents were signed at the summit.

For India, the bilateral meeting between Modi and Putin was the most important engagement on the sidelines. The two leaders reviewed their Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership and discussed political, economic, defence, energy, space and people-to-people relations. Oil, energy and fertilisers remained among the main areas of discussion. India’s purchase of Russian crude and continued fertiliser supplies have helped meet its energy and agricultural requirements during a period of global disruptions.

The two leaders also welcomed the outcome of the 27th India-Russia Inter-Governmental Commission on Trade, Economic and Cultural Cooperation. The commission had met in Moscow on August 24. Both sides noted that their partnership had continued to grow despite geopolitical uncertainty. The official statement described India-Russia ties as resilient and said the two leaders agreed to remain engaged to strengthen them further.

Defence cooperation also figured in the talks. Reports ahead of the meeting said Russia had placed fresh proposals before India, including additional S-400 air defence systems and cooperation on the Su-57 fifth-generation stealth fighter. One reported proposal involves five additional S-400 squadrons at an estimated cost of nearly Rs 30,000 crore. However, the official Indian press release did not disclose details of any proposed package. The reported offers will require technical, financial and strategic examination by India. They should not be presented as concluded deals at this stage.

The Ukraine conflict was another major subject of discussion. Prime Minister Narendra Modi told Putin that every additional day of war caused further damage to humanity. India would continue to support all serious peace efforts, he said. “We need to move from endless war to an end to the war,” Modi said. He called for a cessation of hostilities and a sustainable settlement through dialogue and diplomacy.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi invited Putin to attend the 18th BRICS Summit in India on September 12 and 13. The invitation assumes importance as India holds the BRICS chairmanship for 2026. It also underlined the sustained engagement between New Delhi and Moscow.

West Asia dominated Modi’s bilateral meeting with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian. The two leaders discussed the conflict involving Iran and the United States, bilateral cooperation and the need to expand trade.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said India wanted to expand and diversify its trade basket with Iran. He also called for the protection of civilians, commercial shipping, seafarers and freedom of navigation. According to the Iranian account of the meeting, Pezeshkian asked India to use its communication with different sides to encourage a return to dialogue. He said Iran did not want the conflict to continue but would respond to any further attack.

Pezeshkian later told the summit that Tehran would reciprocate if Washington returned to its commitments under the interim understanding reached in June. He maintained that dialogue remained the only sustainable way to resolve the conflict.

The Bishkek summit brought together countries with different interests and unresolved differences. For India, it offered an opportunity to defend its stand against terrorism, protect strategic partnerships and support diplomatic efforts in Ukraine and West Asia.