PM Modi, Xi, Putin Under One Roof: Why The SCO Summit 2026 In Kyrgyzstan Matters

The 26th Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit will be held in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, from August 31 to September 1, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping among the leaders attending the gathering.

Modi arrived in Kyrgyzstan on Sunday, August 30, to attend the summit and hold bilateral meetings with leaders on the sidelines. He was received at the airport by Kasymaliev Adylbek Aleshovich, chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers. A traditional Kyrgyz dance performance was also organised to welcome him.

Modi is visiting Kyrgyzstan at the invitation of President Sadyr Zhaparov for the 26th SCO Summit.

Modi To Meet SCO Leaders

PM Modi is expected to meet several SCO leaders, including Zhaparov and Russian President Vladimir Putin, on the sidelines

of the summit, PTI reported.

In his departure statement on Saturday, Modi said he looked forward to advancing India’s vision for the region, based on “security, connectivity and opportunity”.

He also said India would work with SCO members towards a region free from “terrorism, separatism and extremism”.

Modi will also attend the opening ceremony of the 6th World Nomad Games.

He said the visit would strengthen India’s strategic partnerships in Central Asia, deepen its civilisational connect with the region and advance the shared pursuit of peace, stability and prosperity.

Xi Jinping Arrives In Kyrgyzstan

Chinese President Xi Jinping also arrived in Kyrgyzstan on Sunday to participate in the SCO summit, state-run Xinhua news agency reported.

“I look forward to attending the SCO Bishkek Summit, working with all parties to revisit the 25-year development experience of the SCO, jointly discuss cooperation plans, create the future of the organisation,” Xi said after his arrival.

He said he looked forward to working with other members to “promote the continuous new development of the organisation”.

Xi is also expected to hold bilateral meetings with several SCO leaders during his visit.

His trip comes ahead of a busy September. He is widely expected to attend the BRICS summit in New Delhi on September 12-13 and later travel to the US for a summit meeting with President Donald Trump.

SCO Marks 25 Years

The 10-member SCO is marking 25 years since its founding in 2001 by China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.

India and Pakistan became full members in 2017, followed by Iran in 2023 and Belarus in 2024.

Kyrgyzstan holds the rotating chair for 2026, with the main sessions being held at the Ala-Archa State Residence outside Bishkek. Leaders’ events run from August 30 to September 1, while the Council of Heads of State plenary is scheduled for September 1.

The summit theme is “25 Years of the SCO: Together Towards Sustainable Peace, Development and Prosperity.”

Security, Connectivity On Agenda

The summit’s priorities include counter-terrorism, regional stability and coordination on cross-border threats.

The agenda also focuses on Eurasian transport and logistics corridors, trade and economic cooperation, energy security and digital transformation.

Members are expected to discuss an SCO Agreement on Trade Facilitation, broader market access and value-chain integration, as well as a proposed SCO development bank and other financing mechanisms for connectivity projects.

The Bishkek Declaration and other summit texts are expected to be finalised during the September 1 heads-of-state session.

For India, the summit provides an opportunity to deepen ties with Central Asia in trade, energy and connectivity, while bilateral meetings could also focus on defence, energy and payments cooperation with Russia.

At the close of the summit, Kyrgyzstan will hand the rotating SCO chair to Pakistan, which will lead the organisation through 2027 and host the 2027 leaders’ summit.