Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday concluded his four-day visit to Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan after attending the 26th Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in Bishkek.
In a post on X, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, “Following a productive visit, PM Narendra Modi departed from Bishkek for India. PM was seen off by Mr. Adylbek Kasymaliev, Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers of Kyrgyzstan. The visit was marked by productive engagements, and tangible outcomes, further strengthening India’s engagement with the region.”
The Prime Minister’s visit, from August 29 to September 1, began in Uzbekistan, where he held talks with President Shavkat Mirziyoyev. The two countries agreed to elevate their bilateral relationship to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and set a target of achieving USD 5 billion in annual bilateral trade by 2030.
India and Uzbekistan also signed key agreements covering several areas, including mining and tourism. The two sides agreed to establish a framework for the long-term supply of uranium from Uzbekistan to India as part of cooperation in the civil-nuclear energy sector.
During his Uzbekistan visit, PM Modi was conferred the country’s prestigious ‘Oliy Darajali Do’stlik’ Order. Accepting the honour, PM Modi dedicated the accolade to the 1.4 billion people of India and conveyed that it is a symbol of the enduring friendship between the two countries and civilisations. He also 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.
PM Modi holds multiple bilateral meetings in Bishkek
After arriving in Bishkek on Sunday, PM Modi held a series of bilateral meetings with leaders on Monday on the sidelines of the SCO Summit.
In his meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, PM Modi called for an immediate end to the Russia-Ukraine conflict and said finding a peaceful resolution was a shared priority for humanity.
He also met Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and discussed bilateral ties and developments in West Asia. PM Modi reiterated India’s commitment to strengthening its longstanding friendship with Iran and said India wanted to expand and diversify the bilateral trade basket. He also stressed that regional tensions and conflicts should be resolved through dialogue and diplomacy.
During his meeting with Kyrgyz President Sadyr Zhaparov, the two leaders reviewed the progress of bilateral relations and reaffirmed their commitment to further strengthening the India-Kyrgyzstan Strategic Partnership. They agreed to enhance economic and commercial cooperation and discussed growing people-to-people ties, including student exchanges and cultural collaboration.
PM Modi also met Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and discussed strengthening cooperation in areas including defence, economic ties, pharmaceuticals, science and technology, culture and education.
On Tuesday, PM Modi held meetings with Tajikistan President Emomali Rahmon and Lao President Thongloun Sisoulith. With Rahmon, he expressed India’s readiness to further expand cooperation with Tajikistan, while discussions with Sisoulith focused on strengthening bilateral linkages between India and Laos.
Focus on terrorism at SCO Summit
The Prime Minister’s participation in the 26th SCO Summit was marked by a strong emphasis on combating terrorism.
Addressing the summit, PM Modi called for the dismantling of the entire ecosystem of terrorist financing, recruitment, radicalisation and safe havens. He said there could be no double standards in the fight against terrorism and called for a united response against countries that use terrorism as an instrument of state policy or provide shelter and support to terrorists.
PM Modi also reiterated India’s position that conflicts cannot be resolved on the battlefield and that dialogue and diplomacy are the only way forward.
Outlining India’s vision for the SCO, the Prime Minister said the grouping should focus on three pillars – Security, Connectivity and Opportunity. He called for the SCO’s 25-year foundation of dialogue and cooperation to be converted into tangible outcomes over the next 25 years.
“Today, when the world is passing through uncertainty and instability, we must turn our shared geography into shared opportunities,” PM Modi said.
He also highlighted the importance of reliable connectivity, technology, innovation, start-ups and youth engagement. PM Modi announced India’s readiness to host the first SCO Civilisation Dialogue Forum later this year.
Engagement with SCO leaders and regional outreach
Ahead of the summit, PM Modi interacted with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin and posed for a group photograph with other SCO leaders. He later participated in the summit deliberations and signed the SCO declaration along with leaders of other member states.
The 26th SCO Leadership Summit brought together 10 member states, 15 partner countries and two observer countries to advance dialogue and cooperation on regional and global issues.
During his stay in Kyrgyzstan, PM Modi also attended the opening ceremony of the World Nomad Games in Bishkek and wished the participating Indian contingent success. He paid floral tribute to Mahatma Gandhi at his memorial in the Kyrgyz capital and interacted with members of the Indian community.
(With agency inputs)
