Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Kyrgyz President Sadyr Zhaparov in Bishkek on the sidelines of the 26th Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit. The meeting focused on strengthening the strategic partnership between India and the Kyrgyz Republic and advancing cooperation across several key sectors.
During the meeting, Prime Minister Modi congratulated President Zhaparov on Kyrgyzstan’s Independence Day and also appreciated the country’s role in hosting the SCO Summit. The two leaders reviewed the progress of bilateral relations and reaffirmed their commitment to further expanding the India-Kyrgyzstan strategic partnership.
Economic and commercial cooperation emerged as an important area of discussion. Both sides agreed on the need to further enhance trade and economic engagement by leveraging complementarities between the two economies. Kyrgyzstan has also identified education, healthcare, pharmaceuticals and information technology as sectors offering significant opportunities for deeper cooperation.
The leaders also highlighted the growing importance of people-to-people relations. Discussions covered student exchanges and cultural cooperation, reflecting the broader effort to strengthen connections between the two countries beyond traditional diplomatic and economic engagement.
Prime Minister Modi noted India’s active participation in SCO meetings under the chairmanship of Kyrgyzstan, describing it as a reflection of the mutual trust, respect and support underpinning the longstanding relationship between the two countries. He thanked President Zhaparov for his hospitality and for successfully conducting the SCO Summit.
The meeting comes as India continues to deepen its engagement with Central Asia through bilateral partnerships and multilateral platforms such as the SCO. The latest discussions with Kyrgyzstan are expected to support greater cooperation in economic, technological, educational and cultural fields while giving further momentum to the India-Kyrgyzstan strategic relationship.