Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday concluded his two-nation tour and departed for New Delhi after attending the 26th Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. The summit was held under Kyrgyzstan's chairmanship and brought together leaders of the 10-member regional grouping. Modi's departure marked the end of his engagements in Kyrgyzstan following his visit to Uzbekistan.
Earlier on Tuesday, Modi participated in the SCO summit and highlighted India's priorities on regional security, connectivity, trade and people-to-people cooperation. On the sidelines, he held meetings with Tajikistan President Emomali Rahmon and Laos President Thongloun Sisoulith. His discussions with Sisoulith focused on strengthening bilateral ties and expanding cooperation between India and Laos.
Following his meeting with Rahmon, Modi expressed India's readiness to further strengthen cooperation with Tajikistan across various sectors. Before the summit, Modi joined other SCO leaders for a group photograph and interacted with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin. The interactions came as leaders gathered for discussions on regional and international issues.
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On Monday, Modi held separate bilateral meetings with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, Kyrgyz President Sadyr Zhaparov, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan. He also paid tribute to Mahatma Gandhi at his memorial in Bishkek and interacted with members of the Indian community. Later in the evening, he attended the opening ceremony of the World Nomad Games and conveyed his best wishes to the Indian contingent.
The SCO currently comprises Belarus, India, Iran, Kazakhstan, China, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. The grouping also includes observer states and dialogue partners from several countries. During his Kyrgyzstan visit, Modi's engagements focused on strengthening India's relations with SCO members and other participating countries.
Modi had arrived in Bishkek on Sunday after completing his engagements in Uzbekistan. In Tashkent, he held talks with Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, paid tribute to former Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri at the Shastri Memorial and visited the Mahatma Gandhi Centre at Tashkent State University of Oriental Studies. His return to New Delhi concludes a visit that combined bilateral engagements with participation in the SCO summit.
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