Narendra Modi to meet the Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian in Bishkek on Monday on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit.
It has attracted attention because it would bring the two leaders together at a time when geopolitical tensions between Iran and the rest of West Asia are high.
Narendra Modi reached Bishkek on Sunday after leaving Uzbekistan. He is in the Kyrgyz capital to speak at the 26th SCO Summit, to be held on August 31 and September 1.
Modi will have bilateral talks with leaders of SCO member countries during his visit, the Prime Minister's Office said.
Pezeshkian is also going to Bishkek to attend the SCO summit and SCO Plus meeting. Iranian state media reported that the Iranian president will meet with several participating leaders including Prime Minister Modi.
First Face-to-Face Meeting Since West Asia Conflict
The Modi-Pezeshkian meeting is particularly important because it will be their first in-person meeting since the outbreak of the latest US-Israel conflict with Iran in February 2026.
The two leaders last met in person on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit in Kazan, Russia, in 2024. Since then they have kept in touch by phone and have also had discussions over the escalation in West Asia.
The regional conflict is expected to be a big topic of discussion. India has always said that dialogue and diplomacy should be made available to resolve the tension and that civilians and regional stability should be ensured.
India-Iran Ties in Focus
Besides the immediate geopolitical situation, the talks can also provide an opportunity to review India-Iran relations. Connectivity, trade, energy and regional security are central to the relationship.
Iran's strategic position makes it important for India's connectivity interests in Central Asia. Cooperation with Tehran's Chabahar port has been critical in India's relationship with Iran, providing India with a route to Afghanistan and Central Asian markets.
The meeting also comes as India is struggling to maintain relations with many major powers in a world of changing alliances.
New Delhi has always taken a hands-on foreign policy approach and has always been independent in foreign affairs when it comes to relations with countries with varying interests.
SCO Summit Brings Major Leaders Together
The meeting between Modi and Pezeshkian is part of a larger diplomatic engagement taking place in Bishkek.
Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping are also expected to be among those who will attend the summit. Modi will also have bilateral talks with other leaders on the sidelines of the meeting, the delegation is expected to say.
The 26th SCO Summit is also important as it is the 25th anniversary of the SCO. India became a full SCO member in 2017.
PM Modi will make sure India’s security, connectivity and opportunity are addressed at the summit, Modi said in a statement.
With the West Asia conflict, regional security concerns and changing geopolitical equations at the heart of the agenda, the Modi-Pezeshkian talks in Bishkek will also be of great interest.
And the outcome could provide another picture of how India and Iran will be able to maintain their bilateral relationship under the condition of a fast-changing regional climate.
