Prime Minister Narendra Modi's bilateral meeting with Iran President Masoud Pezeshkian on the sidelines of the SCO Summit in Bishkek has sent a 'very powerful message' to the signatories of the Mecca Pact — the recent trilateral agreement between Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan — according to noted journalist and former Minister of State for External Affairs, M J Akbar. Speaking in an interview on Tuesday, 1 September, Akbar described the meeting as the most consequential on Modi's SCO agenda.

Why the Modi-Pezeshkian Meeting Mattered

The two leaders held extensive discussions in the Kyrgyzstan capital Bishkek on Monday, covering bilateral ties and the evolving West Asia conflict. Akbar argued that the meeting itself was a diplomatic statement. 'By the very meeting, they sent a very powerful message because the meeting itself was against the background of the Mecca Pact. The meeting itself actually sent the message that war and war alliances are not the solution to problems,' he said. 'The solution to problems lies in negotiation and what Prime Minister Modi has identified as the nub of his policy, which is peace, is the answer to the future.'

During the talks, PM Modi expressed concern over the escalation of tensions in the region and reiterated India's consistent position that all issues must be resolved through dialogue and diplomacy.

Trade, Chabahar Port and Flexible Realism

Akbar highlighted that trade formed a critical part of the bilateral discussions, particularly in the context of US-imposed sanctions and tariffs on Iran. 'Iran and India have used what in diplomacy is known as flexible realism in order to find a new rapport,' he said. He also underscored the strategic importance of keeping the Hormuz Strait open for shipping — a point Modi reportedly stressed during the meeting.

The former minister identified the Chabahar port as the single most important bilateral element of the talks. 'That port has taken on an extremely critical importance in the present crisis. This port has been part of the Indo-Iran agenda for a long while, but really came to fruition in the first five years of Prime Minister Modi's tenure in office. The fact that it has revived is extremely good news for both countries,' Akbar emphasised. Both nations are, he noted, civilisational states that recognise the value of bilateral bonds over war-oriented pacts.

NSA Doval's Beijing Visit and India-China Reset

Akbar also assessed National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval's recent visit to Beijing as having an 'extraordinarily salutary effect' on India-China equations. He traced the roots of the bilateral friction to the 1962 war, describing it as 'a very major watershed' after which the border became the persistent fault line for both militaries and diplomats.

He noted that the 1988 border agreement had established a foundational understanding — what he characterised as 'the resolution lies in non-resolution' — whereby both sides accept ground realities and seek cooperation through other avenues. Akbar added, with a caveat, that there is 'speculation' that a prominent military hawk within the Chinese supreme command has been recently dropped, though he acknowledged the Chinese system 'remains opaque.'

Xi Jinping's Delhi Visit and the BRICS Bilateral

Looking ahead, Akbar highlighted the significance of Chinese President Xi Jinping's scheduled visit to New Delhi for the BRICS Summit. 'Both sides are making every effort to see that this visit — although it will be under the umbrella of BRICS — will have a very strong bilateral element to it,' he said. He expressed hope that the substantive meeting between Modi and Xi would 'settle existing turbulence and pave the way for cooperation within the foreseeable future.'

The convergence of India's diplomatic outreach — from Bishkek to Beijing — signals a concerted effort to stabilise its strategic neighbourhood ahead of a high-stakes multilateral season.