SCO Summit: PM Modi Holds Bilaterals In Bishkek As West Watches Optics

Prime Minister Narendra Modi attended the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, holding key bilateral discussions on the sidelines. The Prime Minister met Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian to discuss energy supplies, the safety of Indian seafarers, the Strait of Hormuz situation, and the ongoing crisis in West Asia. The Iranian leadership is set to brief India on security matters and negotiations regarding the region. Modi is also scheduled to hold bilateral meetings with the President of the Kyrgyz Republic and Russian President Vladimir Putin. With Russia, China, and India sharing the platform, the West and the White House are closely watching the diplomatic optics and the final joint declaration. Discussions also focused on India's diplomatic balancing act amid American sanctions, upcoming engagements ahead of the BRICS summit, and regional dynamics involving China and Pakistan.