Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Kyrgyzstan on Sunday to attend the 26th Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit and hold a series of bilateral meetings on the sidelines. He was received at the airport by Adylbek Kasymaliev, Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers of Kyrgyzstan.
PM Modi arrived in the Kyrgyz capital, Bishkek, at the invitation of President Sadyr Zhaparov to participate in the 26th SCO Summit on August 31-September 1.
A traditional Kyrgyz dance performance was also held at the airport to welcome the Prime Minister.ย
Before arriving in Bishkek, PM Modi concluded his two-day state visit to Uzbekistan, where he held bilateral and delegation-level talks with President Shavkat Mirziyoyev.
Enthusiasm amongย Indian diaspora
The Prime Ministerโs arrival was met with enthusiasm among members of the Indian diaspora and local residents in Bishkek.
Deepak Joshi, an Indian national living in Bishkek, described Modiโs visit as an ‘honour and great privilege’ for Indians living abroad. “It is kind of an honour and great privilege that the Prime Minister is coming here. So much transformation has taken place in the last 12 years that it’s unbelievable, and PM Modi deserves huge credit for this,” Joshi said.
Recalling developments in his native Uttarakhand, Joshi said his father’s village received electricity in 2017. He also praised the government’s defence initiatives and referred to Operation Sindoor as an example.
Meanwhile, Zara Beiim Gasanova, a Kyrgyzstan national learning Hindi at the Indian Embassy, also expressed excitement over Modiโs visit. “I am learning Hindi at the Indian Embassy. I am very excited that PM Modi is coming, and we are all standing here, ready to greet and see him. We love India; we love the Indian people. We like India,” she said.
PM Modi’sย agenda inย Kyrgyzstanย
The 26th Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit will bring together leaders of member states to discuss key regional and international issues and explore ways to further strengthen cooperation within the grouping.
The 10-member SCO is marking 25 years since its establishment. The organisation was founded 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.
Prime Minister Modi is also expected to hold bilateral meetings with several SCO leaders on the sidelines of the summit, including Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
In his departure statement on Saturday, PM Modi said he looked forward to advancing India’s vision for the region, anchored in “security, connectivity and opportunity, and to working with fellow members for a region free from the scourge of terrorism, separatism and extremism”.
“I also look forward to meeting President Zhaparov and other SCO leaders,” he said.
He will also attend the opening ceremony of the 6th World Nomad Games.
The Prime Minister said this visit will strengthen India’s strategic partnerships in Central Asia, deepen its civilisational connect with the region, and advance a shared pursuit of peace, stability and prosperity.
(With ANI, PTI inputs)
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