Pezeshkian and Modi Hold Bilateral Talks on SCO Summit Sidelines

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a bilateral meeting on Monday in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit. The two leaders were seen together in footage released by the Iranian President's Office, with delegations from both countries present.

The meeting comes as heads of state from several major powers, including China and Russia, gather in the Kyrgyz capital for the SCO summit. The grouping is often viewed as a platform to balance Western influence in global affairs.

Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin are expected to attend the summit events. A separate one-on-one meeting between Putin and Xi was scheduled for Monday, while talks between Putin and Pezeshkian are slated for Tuesday, when the official SCO sessions are due to take place.

The SCO summit provides an opportunity for multiple bilateral engagements alongside the main proceedings, reflecting the growing diplomatic activity among member states in Central Asia.