PM Modi In Kyrgyzstan For SCO Summit, To Hold Bilateral With Putin & Address China Challenge

Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Kyrgyzstan to attend the 26th Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in Bishkek. On the sidelines of the summit, PM Modi is set to hold bilateral talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The meeting comes amid Western pressure over Russian crude oil imports and New Delhi's concerns regarding a widening bilateral trade imbalance. Key discussion areas for the bilateral talks include energy cooperation, ongoing defense contracts, delayed military deliveries, expanding market access for Indian exports, and developments regarding the conflicts in Ukraine and West Asia. India's broader agenda at the summit focuses on strengthening regional counter-terrorism cooperation, deepening Central Asia outreach, advancing connectivity projects such as Chabahar Port and the North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC), and preparing for its upcoming BRICS chairship. Furthermore, India maintains its strategic autonomy within the SCO by opposing China's Belt and Road Initiative over sovereignty issues regarding the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor and resisting Chinese dominance within the regional bloc.