Modi, Xi Jinping shake hands at SCO Summit in Bishkek
Synopsis
On the sidelines of the 26th SCO Summit in Bishkek, PM Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping shook hands and walked together — their most visible interaction since Tianjin 2025. With India-China relations still navigating post-Galwan sensitivities, every gesture at Bishkek carries diplomatic weight far beyond the photo-op.
Key Takeaways
PM Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping shook hands and interacted at the 26th SCO Summit in Bishkek on 1 September .
Their previous meeting was at the SCO Summit in Tianjin in August 2025 .
Modi held bilateral meetings with leaders of Iran, Kyrgyzstan, Russia , and Armenia on the sidelines.
The SCO now has 10 member states , including India, China, Russia, and Pakistan.
Modi outlined India's SCO vision around Security, Connectivity and Opportunity , with a focus on countering terrorism and extremism.
Modi also attended the World Nomad Games opening ceremony in Bishkek on Monday.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping shook hands and held a brief interaction on Tuesday, 1 September as they arrived together at the 26th Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. The exchange marked one of the most closely watched moments of the multilateral gathering, coming against the backdrop of gradual diplomatic thaw between New Delhi and Beijing.
The Modi-Xi Interaction
The two leaders were photographed posing for a group portrait alongside other heads of state before walking side by side toward the summit venue, exchanging words along the way. The handshake, while brief, drew immediate attention given the historically fraught state of India-China relations following the 2020 Galwan Valley standoff. Their previous meeting had taken place on the sidelines of the SCO Summit in Tianjin in August 2025.
Modi's Bilateral Meetings on the Sidelines
On Monday, Prime Minister Modi held a series of bilateral meetings at the summit, engaging with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, Kyrgyz President Sadyr Zhaparov, Russian President Vladimir Putin, and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan. The breadth of these engagements underscores India's active diplomatic posture within the SCO framework, which now encompasses 10 member states — Belarus, India, Iran, Kazakhstan, China, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan.
India's SCO Priorities
In his departure statement before embarking on the two-nation tour covering Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan, Prime Minister Modi described India as an 'active and constructive member' of the SCO since 2017. He outlined India's regional vision as centred on three pillars: Security, Connectivity and Opportunity. Modi also reaffirmed India's commitment to building a region free from terrorism, separatism, and extremism — a formulation that implicitly addresses longstanding friction with Pakistan within the bloc.
Warm Reception and World Nomad Games
Prime Minister Modi arrived in Bishkek on Sunday after concluding engagements in Uzbekistan. Members of the Indian diaspora greeted him with chants of 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai' and 'Vande Mataram'. On Monday, Modi also attended the opening ceremony of the World Nomad Games in Bishkek, where he extended wishes to the participating Indian contingent.
What to Watch
The Modi-Xi interaction, however brief, will be parsed closely by diplomatic observers tracking whether the two countries are moving toward a more structured bilateral reset. India and China have been working to stabilise ties along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) since late 2024. Whether the Bishkek exchange translates into a formal bilateral summit remains to be seen.
Point of View
With border disengagement talks proceeding in fits and starts. What is missing from the frame is a formal bilateral summit, which New Delhi has been cautious about scheduling without concrete LAC progress. The SCO format gives both sides the cover of multilateralism while allowing optics of engagement — a pattern that suits Beijing's preference for gradual rehabilitation and India's need to show resolve without escalation. Whether Bishkek becomes a stepping stone to a structured bilateral or remains a corridor handshake will define the India-China trajectory heading into 2026.
NationPress
1 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Did PM Modi and Xi Jinping hold a formal bilateral meeting at the SCO Summit in Bishkek?
No formal bilateral meeting has been confirmed. The two leaders shook hands and briefly interacted while walking together at the 26th SCO Summit in Bishkek on 1 September. Their last formal meeting was on the sidelines of the SCO Summit in Tianjin in August 2025.
What is the SCO Summit and why does it matter for India?
The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) is a multilateral bloc comprising 10 member states, including India, China, Russia, and Pakistan. India has been a full member since 2017 and uses the platform to advance regional priorities around security, connectivity, and counter-terrorism cooperation.
Which leaders did PM Modi meet bilaterally in Bishkek?
On Monday, PM Modi held bilateral meetings with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, Kyrgyz President Sadyr Zhaparov, Russian President Vladimir Putin, and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on the sidelines of the SCO Summit.
What is India's stated vision for the SCO region?
Prime Minister Modi has outlined India's SCO priorities around three pillars — Security, Connectivity, and Opportunity — with a specific emphasis on building a region free from terrorism, separatism, and extremism, as stated in his pre-departure statement.
How did the Indian diaspora receive PM Modi in Bishkek?
Members of the Indian community in Bishkek gave PM Modi a warm welcome upon his arrival on Sunday, greeting him with chants of 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai' and 'Vande Mataram'.
