Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday during the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. According to the Prime Minister's Office, Modi expressed concern over the escalation of tensions in the West Asia region and reiterated India's position that all issues must be resolved through dialogue and diplomacy. The Iranian leader asked Modi to be the peacemaker in the conflict by leveraging India's extensive contacts in the region, while Modi urged Putin to move from "endless war to the end of war" and called for an immediate end to the Russia-Ukraine conflict. As per the Iranian readout, Modi said he believes Pezeshkian is a peace-loving person who can play an effective role in achieving peace. "We must move away from endless war towards an end to the war. This is essential for the well-being of humanity. A peaceful resolution to all issues at the earliest is the call of humanity, and this is India's message," Modi said during the meeting, emphasising India's longstanding message of peace and diplomacy.
The SCO Summit concluded with the Bishkek Declaration, which reflected several of India's strategic concerns, particularly on terrorism and connectivity issues. The member states agreed that "double standards" in the fight against terrorism were unacceptable, with Modi stressing the need to dismantle the entire ecosystem of terrorist financing, recruitment, radicalization, and safe havens. The declaration opposed "unilateral coercive" sanctions that negatively impact the global economy and expressed support for Iran's sovereignty. It also covered other conflicts, including the war in West Asia, and opposed "double standards on human rights" and "interference in the internal affairs of sovereign states." The SCO also acceded to a longstanding Indian demand by amending its charter to include English as an official and working language of the grouping, alongside Russian and Chinese. The leaders also welcomed the SCO Civilisation Dialogue Forum that India will host later this year.
The need to strengthen trade ties featured prominently in Modi's meetings with both Pezeshkian and Putin on the margins of the SCO Summit. Modi and Putin welcomed the increase in India-Russia bilateral trade since the Russian President's visit to India in December, with the PM saying during their meeting that the two leaders always keep their respective national interests uppermost. Putin agreed that the growing trade imbalance between the two countries should be addressed, and the leaders said market access for India's exports of meat, marine produce and dairy has improved in recent months. According to the Iranian readout, Pezeshkian stressed that stronger bilateral cooperation and efforts to neutralise the effects of sanctions can help advance economic relations between the two countries. Bilateral trade reached nearly $60 billion in India's 2026 fiscal year, while the two countries have set an ambitious target of increasing trade to $100 billion by the end of the decade. Putin said trade and economic cooperation between Russia and India was showing positive momentum, with bilateral trade turnover rising by more than 2%.
This year's summit is expected to focus on economic connectivity as the US and Israel's war on Iran continues to paralyse key maritime routes like the Strait of Hormuz, which has upended global supply chains, the energy market and financial markets. The group is expected to discuss new trade and transport corridors, including the 7,200km International North-South Transport Corridor that links the Russian port city of St Petersburg with India's financial capital Mumbai through Iran and Gulf ports. With the Summit taking place amid US cautioning countries against doing trade with Iran, the SCO member countries stated that they would continue to "develop practical dialogue on strengthening financial cooperation within the SCO Interbank Consortium." The member countries said they "support speeding up the issue of connecting an authorised bank designated" by Iran to the consortium's work. According to Manoj Kewalramani from Takshashila Institution's Geostrategy Programme, the Kyrgyz leadership has prioritised moving the needle on the SCO Development Bank, the SCO Development Fund and SCO Investment Fund. While talks have reportedly been taking place in this direction, there is no clarity on whether any agreements will be announced at this year's summit.
With several of the 10-member SCO countries facing the brunt of US sanctions, the grouping's leaders discussed ways to diversify and strengthen regional trade and connectivity. Modi called for safeguarding the freedom of navigation and commerce, emphasising that civilians and civilian infrastructure, including commercial shipping and seafarers, must not be harmed under any circumstances. Dozens of seafarers, including several Indians, have been killed in both the Black Sea and near the Strait of Hormuz in recent months. According to the Iranian readout, Modi and Pezeshkian discussed transport and maritime cooperation, the Strait of Hormuz, and the progress of cooperation at Iran's Chabahar Port. Putin said the SCO is working to extend and strengthen contacts between countries of the global South and East to promote regional development. The meeting between Modi and Putin is therefore significant not only for bilateral relations but also for India's broader strategy on energy security, trade and navigating an increasingly volatile geopolitical landscape.
The Prime Minister reiterated India's readiness to cooperate closely with Iran in multilateral organisations, including BRICS and the SCO. According to the Iranian readout, Modi conveyed that he looked forward to welcoming Pezeshkian to India for the BRICS Summit, with Putin scheduled to visit India for the BRICS Summit on September 12-13. Modi also held bilateral meetings with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, where the leaders spoke of growing cooperation in defence, information technology, space, education and pharmaceuticals. The PM is scheduled to meet other leaders attending the SCO Summit and is likely to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping on the concluding day of the Summit on Tuesday, with a possible meeting between Modi and Xi being closely watched for indications of how their relationship is evolving. Following their bilateral meeting, PM Modi and Putin shared a car ride to the World Nomad Games, underscoring the close rapport between the two leaders.
