Narendra Modi arrived in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, on August 29, 2026, to begin a four day visit to Central Asia. The Prime Minister will travel to Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, on August 31 to attend the 26th Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Summit. This is Narendra Modi’s fourth visit to Uzbekistan, and it comes at a time when India is working to deepen ties across the region.
Who Is Narendra Modi Meeting In Uzbekistan?
Narendra Modi held delegation level talks with Uzbekistan President Shavkat Mirziyoyev in Tashkent. President Mirziyoyev received the Indian Prime Minister at the airport himself. The two leaders then travelled together in the same car, a gesture that diplomats read as a sign of warm personal ties between the two countries.
The visit is Narendra Modi’s fourth trip to Uzbekistan. It was undertaken at the invitation of President Mirziyoyev.
What Happened When Narendra Modi Arrived In Tashkent?
Narendra Modi landed in Tashkent on August 29 evening. Hotel buildings in the city were lit up in the tricolour, and Indian songs played at public spaces to mark the visit. On August 30, he took part in a yoga session organised by the Yoga Federation of Uzbekistan, alongside local residents and officials.
On social media, Narendra Modi shared a set of highlights from his first day in Tashkent, pointing to the ceremonial welcome, a wreath laying at the Yangi Uzbekistan Monument and his interaction with members of the Indian community there.
In his departure statement issued before leaving New Delhi, Narendra Modi said the India Uzbekistan strategic partnership had advanced significantly in recent years. He said:
“I look forward to my discussions with President Mirziyoyev on further deepening our cooperation in trade and investment, digital connectivity, defence, energy, and on advancing our shared visions of Viksit Bharat and Yangi Uzbekistan.”
What Did Narendra Modi And President Mirziyoyev Discuss?
The two leaders reviewed cooperation across several areas during their talks. These included:
- Trade and investment
- Defence cooperation
- Digital connectivity
- Energy security, including critical minerals
- Education and people to people ties
Officials in Tashkent indicated that the talks were expected to conclude with a package of bilateral agreements. Both sides also discussed how India’s Viksit Bharat 2047 vision could align with Uzbekistan’s own long term development plan, known as Uzbekistan 2030.
During his stay, Narendra Modi also visited the Lal Bahadur Shastri Memorial in Tashkent, built at the site where the former Indian Prime Minister passed away in 1966. He also visited the Mahatma Gandhi Centre at the Tashkent State University of Oriental Studies.
Why Is Narendra Modi Travelling To Bishkek For The SCO Summit?
From Tashkent, Narendra Modi will travel to Bishkek, the capital of the Kyrgyz Republic, at the invitation of President Sadyr Zhaparov. He will attend the 26th SCO Summit on August 31 and September 1. The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation was formed in 2001, and India has been a full member since 2017.
This year’s summit marks 25 years of the organisation. Leaders are expected to adopt what is being called the Bishkek Declaration, along with other documents on the SCO’s future direction.
In his departure statement, Narendra Modi outlined India’s priorities for the summit:
“India has been an active and constructive member of the SCO since 2017. I look 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, which continue to threaten peace and stability in our neighbourhood and beyond.”
What Is On The Agenda At The SCO Summit 2026?
The Bishkek summit brings together leaders from all ten SCO member states, including Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin. According to the SCO’s July foreign ministers meeting, the agenda covers several broad areas.
- Security cooperation against terrorism, separatism and transnational crime
- Trade, investment and transport connectivity for landlocked Central Asian members
- Energy security and progress on a proposed SCO Energy Consortium
- Digital development and cooperation on artificial intelligence
- Cultural and humanitarian exchanges between member states
Kyrgyzstan’s Foreign Minister Jeenbek Kulubaev said preparatory talks in July had covered security, trade and economic ties, transport and logistics, energy, digital development, and cultural and humanitarian issues.
Afghanistan, an SCO observer state, is also likely to come up in discussions given the organisation’s focus on regional security and cross border threats.
What Did Narendra Modi Say About Meeting Putin?
Russian President Vladimir Putin is scheduled to hold bilateral talks with Narendra Modi on August 31, on the sidelines of the SCO Summit. Russian Presidential Aide Yuri Ushakov confirmed the meeting, and said President Putin has nine bilateral meetings scheduled during the summit in total.
“After meeting with the Chinese leader, our President will meet with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Incidentally, this meeting will be quite interesting, as we agreed to discuss several important issues there,” Ushakov said, as quoted by Russian news agency TASS.
India’s Ministry of External Affairs also confirmed the meeting separately. MEA Secretary (West) Sibi George told reporters that the two sides were reviewing the broader India Russia bilateral relationship ahead of the talks. The Kremlin has indicated that discussions between Narendra Modi and President Putin are expected to continue later at the BRICS Summit in New Delhi, scheduled for September 12 and 13.
What Else Is Narendra Modi Doing During The Visit?
Narendra Modi is also expected to attend the opening ceremony of the sixth World Nomad Games in Kyrgyzstan, an event that celebrates the cultural heritage of Central Asia.
India’s Ambassador to Kyrgyzstan, Birender Singh Yadav, said the visit would give fresh momentum to bilateral ties. He told WION that defence and security cooperation, along with people to people contacts, had expanded markedly between the two countries in recent years, including specialised counter terrorism training courses designed for Kyrgyz requirements.
Background: Why Central Asia Matters To India
India has steadily built up its engagement with Central Asian nations over the past decade, viewing the region as part of its extended neighbourhood. The SCO platform gives India a forum to engage with China, Russia and Central Asian states together, even as it manages a complex relationship with Beijing on other fronts.
The organisation has expanded well beyond its original security focus since it was founded in 2001 by China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. Pakistan joined alongside India in 2017, followed by Iran in 2023 and Belarus in 2024.
What Happens Next?
The outcome of the Bishkek summit will show how the ten member grouping translates its stated priorities into concrete cooperation. For India, the immediate focus remains regional security, trade access, energy partnerships and connectivity across Central Asia. Narendra Modi is expected to return to New Delhi after the summit concludes on September 1, ahead of hosting the BRICS Summit in the capital later this month.