Prime Minister participates in the 26th SCO Summit in Bishkek, Kyrgyz Republic

The 26th Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit held in Bishkek, Kyrgyz Republic, from August 31 to September 1, 2026, marked a significant milestone — the 25th anniversary of the organization founded in 2001 in Shanghai by China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. India joined as a full member in 2017 alongside Pakistan, expanding the SCO's geopolitical weight to cover nearly half the world's population and over 30% of global GDP. Prime Minister Narendra Modi's participation underscored India's deepening engagement with Eurasian security and economic architecture. The summit's theme centered on crafting a roadmap for the next 25 years, building on the SCO's core principles of mutual trust, equality, and respect for sovereignty — principles enshrined in the SCO Charter of 2002. PM Modi articulated India's vision through three pillars: Security, Connectivity, and Opportunity. On security, he reiterated India's consistent stance that conflicts cannot be resolved on the battlefield, echoing the UN Charter's Chapter VI on peaceful dispute settlement and reflecting Article 51 of the Indian Constitution, which directs the State to promote international peace and security. His call for "no double standards" in counter-terrorism directly addresses cross-border terrorism emanating from Pakistan, a persistent challenge for India. The emphasis on Afghanistan's stability aligns with India's $3+ billion development assistance since 2001, including the Salma Dam, Parliament building, and humanitarian wheat shipments — efforts that reflect India's 'Neighbourhood First' policy and its role as a net security provider in the region. On connectivity, PM Modi stressed that initiatives must respect sovereignty and territorial integrity — a clear reference to China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), particularly the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) passing through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), which India opposes. India's alternative vision is reflected in projects like the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC) and Chabahar Port in Iran, enhancing trade with Central Asia while adhering to international law. The focus on technology, start-ups, and youth engagement — including the Young Scientist Forum and Young Authors' Conclave — leverages India's demographic dividend and digital public infrastructure (DPI) like UPI and Aadhaar, offering a model for SCO partners. A landmark outcome was India's proposal to include English as an official language in the SCO Charter, currently limited to Russian and Chinese. This would enhance accessibility for India and other non-Russian/Chinese-speaking members, promoting inclusivity. Additionally, India will host the first SCO Civilisation Dialogue Forum in 2026, a flagship initiative to foster civilisational exchanges among member states with shared Buddhist, Islamic, and Persianate heritage. The Bishkek Declaration, along with four MoUs and over 20 decisions on climate action, nuclear safety, energy conservation, and drug control, demonstrates the SCO's expanding functional cooperation beyond security. For India, the SCO remains a critical platform to balance its multi-alignment strategy — engaging with Russia and China while deepening ties with Central Asian republics through the India-Central Asia Dialogue (launched 2019). It complements India's Act East Policy and Quad engagement, offering a Eurasian counterweight. Future implications include deeper energy cooperation (especially with Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan), joint counter-terror exercises under the Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS), and potential expansion of the SCO's economic agenda through a proposed SCO Development Bank. As the SCO evolves, India's ability to shape its normative framework — particularly on terrorism, connectivity standards, and civilisational dialogue — will define its long-term strategic influence in Eurasia.