Modi, Xi and Putin Lead Major Powers at the Bishkek SCO Summit
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin have arrived in Bishkek. They are joining more than a dozen world leaders at the 26th SCO Summit in Kyrgyzstan. The two-day meeting runs from August 31 to September 1, 2026. Kyrgyz President Sadyr Zhaparov is hosting the gathering at the Ala-Archa State Residence. The summit also marks 25 years since the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation was founded. Leaders from 10 member states and several partner countries are taking part. This year’s meeting carries the theme of sustainable peace, development and prosperity.
The agenda includes regional security, terrorism, trade, energy and transport connectivity. Leaders are also expected to discuss the Ukraine war, the conflict in West Asia and the situation in Afghanistan. These issues have added weight to a summit that already brings together several major powers. As Modi, Xi and Putin meet alongside other leaders, the Bishkek summit will also offer a close look at the changing balance of power across Eurasia.
Security, Trade and Regional Conflicts Shape the SCO Agenda
Security remains a central part of the SCO’s work. The organisation began in 2001 with regional stability as a key focus, and its members continue to address terrorism, extremism, separatism and cross-border crime. At the same time, the SCO has expanded its economic agenda. Trade, investment, energy and transport connectivity now sit alongside its traditional security concerns. India wants stronger economic links with Central Asia, while China is seeking wider regional trade and supply-chain ties. Russia has also deepened its focus on Asian markets as pressure from Western countries remains high.
The wider geopolitical backdrop has added significance to the summit. The Ukraine war, the conflict in West Asia and instability in Afghanistan have heightened concerns over regional security, energy supplies and trade routes. However, SCO members do not share the same position on every international crisis. The organisation’s wider agenda also covers digital cooperation, artificial intelligence, environmental protection, health, agriculture, education and cultural ties. The key challenge in Bishkek will be turning shared interests into practical cooperation while managing those differences.
India, China and Russia Push for a More Multipolar Global Order
India, China and Russia are bringing different strategic priorities to the Bishkek SCO summit. For New Delhi, the meeting provides a platform to engage China, Russia, Iran and Central Asian states while advancing its own security and counterterrorism concerns. India also wants stronger energy, trade and strategic ties with Russia, while keeping dialogue open with China and maintaining close relations with the United States and Europe. Connectivity is another key Indian priority. India has supported the Chabahar port in Iran and the International North-South Transport Corridor as important routes for that goal.
China, meanwhile, sees the SCO as a platform to deepen its influence in Central Asia and expand cooperation with Russia, India and other members in trade, energy, transport and security. Beijing has also backed a more multipolar global order. For Russia, the summit offers a chance to strengthen ties with China, maintain trade and defence cooperation with India, and expand engagement with Iran and other non-Western partners. Moscow also sees the SCO as a way to reinforce energy, transport, trade and payment links while reducing reliance on Western systems. Putin’s planned talks with Xi, Modi and Masoud Pezeshkian add further diplomatic weight to the meeting. However, the SCO remains a diverse group, and its members continue to pursue their own national interests. That tension between partnership and rivalry will shape the summit’s broader geopolitical significance.
Web Resources On Bishkek SCO Summit 2026
1. AP News : Leaders of China, Russia and India are among heads of state meeting to counter US influence.
2. Wall Street Journal : Putin Turns Again to China’s Xi as Russia’s Clout Crumbles.
3. China Daily : China’s trade relations with other SCO member states.
4. India Today : PM Modi, Xi, Putin, other world leaders in Bishkek, What’s on SCO summit agenda.