Putin and Modi meet at SCO summit in Kyrgyzstan

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, on Monday to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit, the first time the two leaders have met at a multilateral forum since the organization’s expansion in 2023. The gathering, which brings together China, India, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, is expected to focus on regional security, economic cooperation and counter‑terrorism, while providing a platform for the heads of state to discuss bilateral issues amid a backdrop of heightened scrutiny from Washington.

The summit comes as Moscow and New Delhi confront growing pressure from the United States over separate foreign‑policy challenges. Russia faces continued sanctions and diplomatic isolation over its war in Ukraine, while India’s strategic partnership with the United States is strained by concerns about technology transfers, trade imbalances and differing positions on regional conflicts. Both leaders are likely to use the SCO venue to reinforce their strategic alignment and to signal resilience against external pressures, underscoring the evolving dynamics of Eurasian geopolitics.