By R Anil Kumar
Bishkek, September 1, 2026. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday, September 1, participated in the 26th Meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) in Bishkek, calling for stronger cooperation on security, connectivity and development while urging member countries to take committed action against terrorism.
The summit, held from August 31 to September 1 in the Kyrgyz Republic, coincides with the 25th anniversary of the SCO. Leaders reviewed the organisation’s progress and discussed ways to strengthen its role in promoting peace, security, stability and prosperity in the region.
In his address, PM Modi thanked Kyrgyz President Sadyr Zhaparov for his warmth and hospitality and said the SCO’s 25th anniversary provided an opportunity to prepare a roadmap for the next 25 years, building on the organisation’s tradition of dialogue and cooperation.
Recalling India’s vision presented at the previous summit, the Prime Minister said the grouping should now work towards achieving concrete outcomes under the three pillars of Security, Connectivity and Opportunity.
On security, PM Modi reiterated India’s position that conflicts cannot be resolved through military means and that dialogue and diplomacy are the only way forward. He described terrorism as a grave threat to humanity and called for determined efforts to dismantle the entire terror ecosystem.
The Prime Minister also stressed that there should be no double standards in the fight against terrorism, underlining the need for a united approach to the challenge.
Highlighting the importance of Afghanistan to regional security, PM Modi said peace and stability in Afghanistan were closely linked to security in the Eurasian region. He also highlighted India’s development and humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan.
On connectivity, PM Modi said strong and trusted connectivity initiatives were essential for shared progress and prosperity among SCO countries. India, he said, supports efforts that connect markets, enhance trade and open new opportunities for development.
At the same time, he reiterated that connectivity initiatives must respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of nations.
The Prime Minister also highlighted the opportunities created by technology, entrepreneurship, innovation and start-ups, along with stronger people-to-people exchanges among SCO countries. He appreciated the focus on youth engagement under Kyrgyzstan’s presidency.
PM Modi said India would be pleased to host the first edition of the SCO Civilisation Dialogue Forum later this year. The forum is an Indian initiative aimed at promoting civilisational exchanges among SCO member states.
The Bishkek Summit adopted the Bishkek Declaration, along with four Memoranda of Understanding and more than 20 decisions and statements covering areas including climate, nuclear safety, energy conservation and combating drug addiction.
India also led and supported several initiatives incorporated into the Bishkek Declaration. These included English as an official language in the SCO Charter, the Civilisation Dialogue Forum, the Young Scientist Forum and the Young Author’s Conclave.
The Prime Minister thanked President Zhaparov for the successful organisation of the summit and reaffirmed India’s commitment to working with the SCO family for shared progress and prosperity
We must dismantle the entire ecosystem of terrorism’: PM Modi at SCO Summit
Prime Minister Narendra Modi called for a united and comprehensive global fight against terrorism, urging Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) members to dismantle the entire ecosystem of terrorist financing, recruitment, radicalisation and safe havens.
Addressing the 26th SCO Summit in Bishkek, PM Modi said terrorism remained a serious challenge to humanity and that countries could not limit their response to an “action-reaction approach”.
“We must dismantle the entire ecosystem of terrorist financing, recruitment, radicalisation, and safe havens,” the Prime Minister said.
He called for the SCO to speak with one voice against terrorism and stressed that there could be no double standards on the issue.
“We must send a strong message to countries that use terrorism as an instrument of policy and provide safe haven and support to terrorists that terrorism can never be a strategic asset for anyone,” PM Modi said.
India’s ‘SCO’ vision: Security, Connectivity and Opportunity
PM Modi said India’s vision for the SCO rests on three pillars – Security, Connectivity and Opportunity – and asserted that the time had come to translate these pillars from a vision into concrete outcomes.
He said peace and security were the foremost requirements for achieving the grouping’s shared development goals.
The Prime Minister also linked regional security with developments in Afghanistan and West Asia. He said peace and stability in Afghanistan were closely connected with the goal of a peaceful and secure Eurasia, adding that India would continue its development and humanitarian assistance to the Afghan people.
Referring to the crisis in West Asia, PM Modi said conflicts in one part of the world increasingly have repercussions globally, affecting energy security, maritime trade and supply chains.
“The countries of the Global South bear the greatest brunt of such disruptions,” he said.
Reiterating India’s position on conflicts, PM Modi said tensions and disputes should be resolved through dialogue and diplomacy rather than on the battlefield.
He also described drug trafficking as more than a criminal activity, calling it a serious threat to young people and regional security. The Prime Minister welcomed the establishment of SCO Centres dealing with security threats, organised crime, information security and narcotics, and called for these mechanisms to become effective platforms for practical coordination and timely action.
PM Modi stresses sovereignty in connectivity initiatives
On the second pillar of India’s SCO vision, PM Modi said strong and reliable connectivity was essential for shared development.
“India supports all efforts that connect markets, facilitate trade, and open up new avenues for development,” the Prime Minister said.
However, he emphasised that connectivity initiatives must respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries, which he said was also the fundamental spirit of the SCO Charter.
PM Modi said connectivity in the coming years would extend beyond roads, railways and air corridors. He called for simplified customs procedures, greater use of digital documentation and more efficient logistics networks to facilitate trade.
People-to-people ties at heart of SCO cooperation
Highlighting Opportunity as the third pillar, the Prime Minister said the benefits of SCO cooperation should directly reach people.
“For India, the SCO is a confluence of great civilisations, cultures, and ideas,” he said, stressing that people-to-people ties should remain at the heart of cooperation during the next 25 years of the organisation.
PM Modi said the success of the SCO should be measured by the opportunities created for young people, new markets opened for entrepreneurs, benefits of technology reaching farmers and improvements in the lives of citizens.
“This is the true meaning of ‘Security, Connectivity, and Opportunity’,” he said.
The Prime Minister also called for SCO cooperation to become more people-driven rather than being limited to governments.
He welcomed the emphasis on youth engagement under Kyrgyzstan’s chairmanship and highlighted India’s initiatives, including the SCO Start-up Forum, Young Authors’ Conclave and Young Scientists’ Forum.
First SCO Civilizational Dialogue Forum to be held in India
PM Modi recalled that India had proposed the SCO Civilizational Dialogue Forum last year and said its first session would be held in India this year.
He expressed confidence that the forum, with the active participation of SCO members, would become a strong platform for vibrant civilisational dialogue within the grouping.
Referring to Kyrgyz literary figure Chingiz Aitmatov, PM Modi cited his message about focusing on what unites people rather than what divides them, saying the thought remained relevant to the SCO.
“Our diversity is our identity, and our shared purpose is our strength,” the Prime Minister said.
Concluding his address, PM Modi called on the SCO to move “from shared geography to shared opportunities, from vision to outcomes, and from government-driven cooperation to people-driven partnership.”
He reaffirmed India’s readiness to contribute to the SCO’s collective journey towards greater peace, security, development and prosperity across the region.
