Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chinese President Xi Jinping, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif were captured in the same frame as heads of state of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) gathered in Bishkek on Tuesday for the 26th Summit's official group photograph.
PM Modi was also seen briefly exchanging words with Xi and Putin as the leaders posed for the family photograph.
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The leaders assembled at Bishkek's Yrys Ordo Congress Hall for the family photography, a cornerstone tradition of the annual regional gathering. A roundtable discussion was also held at the same venue on the sidelines of the 26th SCO Summit, bringing together leaders of the member countries, news agency ANI reported.
Kyrgyzstan President Sadyr Japarov, who is hosting the summit and serving as its chairman, led the discussion. Along with Modi, Xi, Putin and Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, Kazakhstan President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev and Tajik President Emomali Rahmon were also present at the SCO gathering.
{{/usCountry}}Kyrgyzstan President Sadyr Japarov, who is hosting the summit and serving as its chairman, led the discussion. Along with Modi, Xi, Putin and Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, Kazakhstan President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev and Tajik President Emomali Rahmon were also present at the SCO gathering.
{{/usCountry}}Also Read: PM Modi, Russia's Putin repeat 'carpool diplomacy' at 2026 SCO after Tianjin ride
PM Modi meets Putin, Pezeshkian
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday held talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin, focusing on key aspects of bilateral ties, including cooperation in trade, investment, energy, and defence. The talks took place over a week before Putin is set to travel to India to attend the annual BRICS summit.
PM Modi called on President Vladimir Putin to end Russia’s war in Ukraine during the meeting.
Earlier on Monday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on the sidelines of the SCO summit in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, on Monday, marking the first meeting between the two leaders in two years.
India supports all and every effort for peace and will continue to do so, Modi said, calling Putin “my friend” in televised comments at the start of their talks in the Kyrgyz capital, Bishkek. There’s a need to move from “endless war to end of war” he said, switching from Hindi into English.
Putin responded that “we’re moving in this direction,” without elaborating. Russia and India continue to strengthen their strategic partnership, facilitated by Modi’s “very kind, personal, friendly relations, for which I thank you,” he said.
Also Read: Modi-Putin meet highlights: PM Modi, Russia's Putin attend Nomad Games after the SCO Summit meeting
26th SCO Leadership Summit
The 26th SCO Leadership Summit has brought together representatives from 10 member states, 15 partner countries and two observer countries, with the gathering focused on strengthening dialogue and cooperation on regional and global issues.
The 10-member Shanghai Cooperation Organisation accounts for around 25 per cent of global GDP. SCO countries are working towards building long-term ties based on good-neighbourliness, friendship and cooperation in areas of mutual interest, guided by universally recognised principles and norms of international law.
(With inputs from agencies)