Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday met Russian President Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of the SCO summit in the capital city of Kyrgyzstan, Bishkek. During the bilateral meeting, PM Modi said, “We have consistently discussed the issue of Ukraine. When we met previously, you briefed me in detail on all aspects of the matter. As you know, India supports all efforts towards peace and will continue to do so. Every day spent in war sets humanity back, whereas every step taken towards peace fills humanity with new hope and enthusiasm. We must move away from endless war towards an end to the war. This is essential for the well-being of humanity.”
” A peaceful resolution to all issues at the earliest is the call of humanity, and this is India’s message. The land of Gandhi and the land of Buddha share a single message: the path of peace. Today, I look forward to discussing these matters with you,” he added.
Earlier today, PM Modi held talks with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian. “Met President Masoud Pezeshkian in Bishkek. Reiterated our commitment to strengthening India’s long standing friendship with Iran across diverse sectors,” the prime minister said on social media.
“We want to expand and diversify our trade basket in the times to come. We had a discussion on the prevailing situation in the region. India will continue to support all efforts aimed at ensuring lasting peace,” he said.
PM Modi also held a separate bilateral meeting with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan.
“A wonderful meeting with Prime Minister of Armenia, Mr. Nikol Pashinyan on the sidelines of the SCO Summit in Bishkek,” the prime minister said.
“India-Armenia cooperation is all set to grow in defence, IT, space, education, pharmaceuticals and more. We are equally certain to deepen trade and investment linkages in the times to come,” he said.
The SCO Summit is underway in Bishkek. The 10-member SCO is marking 25 years of the organisation.
It was founded in 2001 by China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan with India and Pakistan joining as full members in 2017, followed by Iran in 2023 and Belarus in 2024.
PM Modi arrived in Bishkek after a two-day trip to Uzbekistan, during which the two countries decided to elevate their ties to a comprehensive strategic partnership and set a target of USD 5 billion in annual trade by 2030.
This is a developing story. More details to be added.