BISHKEK, August 31, 2026: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has joined Chinese President Xi Jinping, Russian President Vladimir Putin and other world leaders in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, for the 26th Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit, as major geopolitical tensions reshape relations among the world’s leading powers.
The two-day summit, being held on August 31 and September 1, comes as the 10-member organisation marks 25 years since its establishment. Regional security, counter-terrorism, trade, energy, connectivity and digital cooperation are among the major issues expected to dominate discussions. The conflicts in Ukraine and West Asia are also adding considerable diplomatic weight to the gathering.
For India, the summit offers an important diplomatic platform at a time when New Delhi is attempting to maintain strategic relations with both Russia and the West while managing a complicated relationship with China. Modi is expected to hold a bilateral meeting with Putin, while his interaction with Xi is also being closely watched amid efforts to stabilise India-China relations.
The SCO brings together India, China, Russia, Pakistan, Iran and the Central Asian states. India joined the grouping as a full member in 2017, making the organisation an important avenue for New Delhi’s engagement with Central Asia and Eurasian economies.
The summit is also attracting international attention because of the presence of Modi, Xi and Putin together. The gathering reflects the increasingly multipolar nature of global politics, while also highlighting the divergent interests among SCO members. The bloc is not a military alliance, but China and Russia have increasingly presented it as a major platform for cooperation outside the traditional Western-led system.
Why it matters for India
India’s participation allows New Delhi to advance its interests on energy security, connectivity, trade, regional stability and counter-terrorism, while maintaining direct diplomatic contact with countries whose policies have major consequences for India’s economy and security.