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Narendra Modi paid tribute to Mahatma Gandhi in Bishkek and met Friends of India during the SCO summit visit. The outreach highlighted India's effort to deepen people-to-people ties with Kyrgyzstan and the wider region.
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Bishkek,UPDATED: Aug 31, 2026 13:48 IST
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday paid floral tribute to Mahatma Gandhi at his memorial in Bishkek and met people closely associated with India during his visit to the Kyrgyz capital for the 26th SCO Leadership Summit. The outreach included members of the Indian diaspora, academics, researchers, yoga practitioners, environment enthusiasts and alumni of the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) programme.
Modi’s engagements in Bishkek came as he also prepared to hold bilateral meetings with leaders of SCO member countries on the sidelines of the summit. The 10-member grouping is marking the 25th anniversary of its founding this year.
At Gandhi’s statue in Bishkek, Modi paid homage to the Mahatma and recalled the enduring impact of his ideas. “Gandhi Ji’s thoughts will always have an unparalleled impact on our minds,” he said in a social media post.
Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said Modi’s tribute to Gandhi recalled his “timeless message of peace, non-violence and harmony”. “The tribute reflected the enduring relevance of Gandhiji’s ideals and their universal appeal,” Jaiswal posted on social media.
The prime minister later met a group of “Friends of India”, including prominent members of the Indian diaspora, environment enthusiasts, yoga practitioners, academics, ITEC alumni and researchers. “Met a group of people who have a close association with India... Happy to see such continuous engagement with India,” Modi said.
ITEC alumni are professionals from over 160 partner countries who have completed fully funded technical and economic training courses in India through the ITEC programme. Modi said one of the yoga practitioners he met had travelled to Ahmedabad for the World Yogasana Championship and won a medal.
Jaiswal said that during his “warm and engaging interaction” with the Friends of India in Bishkek, the prime minister exchanged views on the longstanding bonds of friendship and cooperation between India and the Kyrgyz Republic. He said they also discussed opportunities to further deepen people-to-people ties and expand the multifaceted partnership between the two countries.
Modi arrived in Bishkek on Sunday after a two-day visit to Uzbekistan, during which the two countries decided to elevate their ties to a comprehensive strategic partnership and set a target of USD 5 billion in annual trade by 2030. In his departure statement on Saturday, he had said he looked forward to advancing India’s vision for the region, anchored in “security, connectivity and opportunity”, and working with fellow SCO members for a region free from “terrorism, separatism and extremism”.
The SCO was established in 2001 by China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. India and Pakistan joined as full members in 2017, followed by Iran in 2023 and Belarus in 2024. Modi’s tribute to Gandhi and his interaction with the Friends of India formed part of his wider Bishkek visit centred on the SCO summit and India’s engagement with the region.
With PTI Inputs
- Ends
Published By:
India Today Web Desk
Published On:
Aug 31, 2026 13:48 IST
