India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping in the Kyrgyz capital Bishkek on Monday, as the country seeks to strengthen its ties with Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) member states.

Bilateral Ties at Stake

The meeting comes ahead of the BRICS Summit in New Delhi on September 12-13, where both Putin and Xi are expected to attend. For India, the Bishkek gathering is a crucial lead-up to the summit, as it seeks to navigate the complex geopolitics of the region.

According to sources, Modi's priorities for the SCO meeting are based on what the bloc had espoused in 2018 – a fight against terrorism, separatism, and extremism. The SCO+ states have been working closely with India on these issues, and the Bishkek gathering is expected to be an opportunity for them to engage with dialogue partners and observers on global issues of interest.

With Iran being a member of the SCO, the war in West Asia is expected to figure prominently in the discussions. For India, connectivity with Central Asia, through Iran, has been a subject of great interest.

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The country has held the chair of the SCO Council of Heads of Government in 2020 and of the SCO Council of Heads of State during 2022-2023.

During the period of its membership, India is also contesting for the same spot. This year marks the 25th anniversary of the SCO, which has been a key player in regional security. The SCO+ format meeting will bring together member states, along with UN, CIS, CSTO, EEC, and CICA.

As the SCO Summit gets underway, all eyes will be on the dynamics between Iran, Saudi Arabia, and UAE. These countries are expected to play a crucial role in shaping the agenda of the BRICS Summit in New Delhi, where India will try to bring some consensus on the war in West Asia.