PM Modi's Uzbekistan State Visit and 26th SCO Summit in Bishkek: India's Central Asia Strategy and SCO at 25

Why in News

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Uzbekistan from August 29–30, 2026, for a bilateral state visit and then travel to Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, from August 31 to September 1, 2026, to participate in the 26th Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit — which marks the SCO's 25th anniversary. This is Modi's fourth visit to Uzbekistan and comes at a time of deepening India–Central Asia engagement.

Background

The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) was founded on June 15, 2001 in Shanghai, China, evolving from the earlier Shanghai Five grouping (1996) comprising China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan. Uzbekistan joined at the founding of the SCO in 2001. India and Pakistan became full members in 2017, followed by Iran in 2023 and Belarus in 2024, making the SCO a 10-member body.

India and Uzbekistan have shared diplomatic ties since 1992, elevating the relationship to a Strategic Partnership in 2011. India views Central Asia as part of its extended neighbourhood under the Connect Central Asia policy announced in 2012 and the subsequent India–Central Asia Vision Document 2030 issued after the first India–Central Asia Summit in January 2022.

Current Developments

The visit has two distinct legs:

• Uzbekistan (Aug 29–30): PM Modi will hold delegation-level talks with President Shavkat Mirziyoyev at Tashkent. The agenda includes trade, investment, defence, digital connectivity, energy, and education cooperation. The leaders will align their development visions — India's Viksit Bharat 2047 and Uzbekistan's Uzbekistan-2030 — for joint prosperity. PM Modi will also visit the Shastri Memorial and the Mahatma Gandhi Centre at Tashkent State University, reflecting civilisational ties.
• Kyrgyzstan – SCO Summit (Aug 31–Sep 1): At Bishkek, India will highlight three priorities — Security, Connectivity, and Opportunity. The 26th SCO Summit theme is "25 Years of the SCO: Together Towards Sustainable Peace, Development and Prosperity." PM Modi will participate in the plenary, bilateral meetings with SCO leaders, and the opening ceremony of the 6th World Nomad Games.

Key Facts

• SCO Full Members (10): China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, India, Pakistan, Iran, Belarus.
• SCO Dialogue Partners (15): Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Egypt, Bahrain, Kuwait, UAE, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Cambodia, Azerbaijan, Armenia, and others.
• Geographic reach: SCO covers ~60% of the Eurasian landmass, ~40% of world population, ~30% of global GDP.
• India–Uzbekistan bilateral trade: approximately USD 1 billion.
• India joined SCO: June 2017 (Astana Summit).
• SCO secretariat: Beijing, China.
• RATS (Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure): SCO's counter-terrorism body, headquartered in Tashkent.
• India has been a SCO Observer since 2005 before becoming a full member in 2017.
• India chairs the SCO Council of Heads of Government (CHG), not the Council of Heads of State (CHS), which rotates among member states.

Constitutional Provisions

Under Article 53(1), executive power of the Union vests in the President, exercised directly or through officers subordinate to him. The Prime Minister's foreign visits and bilateral engagements are constitutionally facilitated through Article 74 (Council of Ministers to aid and advise the President) and Article 77(3) (conduct of government business through rules). The power to enter into treaties and international agreements derives from the Union List (Seventh Schedule, List I, Entry 14).

Legal Framework

• Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, 1961 — governs bilateral state visits and protocol.
• SCO Charter (2002) — the founding legal document of the SCO; India acceded upon full membership in 2017.
• Bilateral agreements between India and Uzbekistan in trade, defence, education, and connectivity.

Institutional Framework

• Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) — coordinates India's SCO engagement.
• SCO Secretariat — Beijing; implements decisions of the Council of Heads of State.
• RATS (Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure) — Tashkent; coordinates counter-terrorism.
• SCO Business Council and Interbank Consortium — promote economic cooperation.
• SCO Development Bank — under discussion; India favours development finance linkages.

Economic Dimensions

India's engagement with Uzbekistan is anchored in trade, investment, and digital connectivity. Bilateral trade currently stands at ~USD 1 billion and both sides aim to significantly expand this under the Viksit Bharat 2047 framework. Sectors of interest include pharmaceuticals, textiles, IT services, and energy — Uzbekistan is a major uranium producer, a critical mineral of interest to India's nuclear expansion programme.

The India–Central Asia Trade and Investment Forum provides a platform for business engagement. India's International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC) and the INSTC's Ashgabat Agreement link to Central Asian connectivity, reducing trade logistics costs. India has also invested in Chabahar Port (Iran), which provides an alternative access route to Central Asia bypassing Pakistan.

Banking and financial angle: India's push for trade settlement in local currencies (Rupee-Som) reduces dollar dependency. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has enabled Vostro account mechanisms under its circular on International Trade Settlement in Indian Rupees (July 2022) to facilitate bilateral trade with Uzbekistan and other Central Asian partners.

Environmental Dimensions

The SCO's Green Belt initiative — adopted under the SCO Environmental Programme — focuses on biodiversity protection, climate adaptation, and sustainable land use across the Eurasian landmass. India participates through the SCO Expert Committee on Environmental Protection. Central Asia faces severe climate stress: the Aral Sea ecological disaster (the world's worst environmental catastrophe in the 20th century) and glacial retreat in the Himalayas/Tian Shan mountains directly affect water security for hundreds of millions, connecting India's Himalayan water security to Central Asian stability.

International Relations

Strategic significance of the SCO for India:

• Counter-terrorism: RATS provides intelligence-sharing on cross-border terrorism — critical for India's security, especially regarding Pakistan-based groups.
• Afghanistan: India uses the SCO Contact Group on Afghanistan to advocate for an inclusive government and counter-terrorism norms, and to protect its development investments (~USD 3 billion) in Afghanistan.
• Energy security: Central Asia's oil, gas, and uranium reserves matter for India's energy diversification.
• China factor: The SCO is a Chinese-dominated forum. India strategically engages while also balancing through the Quad and I2U2 (India-Israel-UAE-USA). India has consistently differed with China on the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) within SCO.
• Russia: Russia's war in Ukraine has complicated SCO dynamics, but India maintains its traditional friendship while seeking strategic autonomy.
• Pakistan in the SCO: India and Pakistan coexist within the SCO framework, though bilateral ties remain strained. India does not attend events hosted by Pakistan under the SCO framework citing security concerns.
• India's Central Asia Policy: India's Connect Central Asia policy (2012) and the India-Central Asia Summit (2022) marked a step-up in engagement. The SCO provides the multilateral scaffolding for this bilateral and regional outreach.

Challenges

• Pakistan's presence: India–Pakistan tensions complicate constructive engagement within the SCO.
• China's dominance: The SCO's agenda is largely shaped by Beijing's strategic interests, limiting India's room to steer the organisation.
• Connectivity deficit: India lacks direct land access to Central Asia due to Pakistan's refusal to grant transit rights under SAARC frameworks.
• Institutional effectiveness: The SCO has been criticised for weak enforcement mechanisms and declaratory diplomacy without substantive outcomes.
• BRI disagreement: India's principled opposition to BRI (sovereignty concerns over the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, CPEC, crossing PoK) creates friction within the SCO.

Government Initiatives

• Connect Central Asia Policy (2012) — India's strategic outreach to Central Asia.
• Chabahar Port Development — India Ports Global Ltd operates the port, offering Central Asia access to Indian markets.
• INSTC (International North-South Transport Corridor) — India–Russia–Iran–Central Asia multimodal trade corridor.
• India–Uzbekistan Strategic Partnership (2011) — upgraded to a strategic partnership level.
• India–Central Asia Vision Document 2030 (2022) — road map for trade, connectivity, security, culture.
• Indian IT and pharmaceutical investments in Uzbekistan's special economic zones.

Way Forward

The 2nd Administrative Reforms Commission (2nd ARC), in its report on Refurbishing of Personnel Administration, and the Parliamentary Standing Committee on External Affairs have both recommended deepening strategic outreach to Central Asia as part of India's extended neighbourhood policy. For the SCO specifically, experts recommend that India:

1. Push for a credible counter-terrorism framework within RATS that includes Pakistan-based groups designated by the UN.
2. Advance multilateral connectivity projects through the SCO that do not pass through Chinese BRI corridors.
3. Use the SCO platform to build coalitions on climate adaptation, water security, and critical minerals — areas where India and Central Asia share interests.
4. Leverage the SCO for digital public infrastructure diplomacy, exporting India's UPI and ONDC model to Central Asian partners.

Possible Mains Questions

1. Critically examine India's strategic interests in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO). How does India balance its engagement with the SCO against its concerns about China's dominance and Pakistan's membership? (GS II, 250 words)
2. "India's Central Asia policy remains constrained by the lack of direct land connectivity." Analyse the connectivity challenges and suggest how India can overcome them through multilateral frameworks. (GS II, 150 words)

Possible Prelims MCQs

1. Q: Which of the following are full members of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) as of 2026? (1) India (2) Turkey (3) Belarus (4) Egypt — Select the correct answer: (A) 1 and 2 only (B) 1 and 3 only (C) 2, 3 and 4 (D) 1, 2, 3 and 4. Answer: (B) — Turkey and Egypt are SCO Dialogue Partners, not full members. Belarus joined as a full member in 2024.
2. Q: RATS (Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure), headquartered in Tashkent, is an organ of which international organisation? (A) CSTO (B) ASEAN (C) SCO (D) NATO. Answer: (C)
3. Q: India became a full member of the SCO in which year? (A) 2001 (B) 2005 (C) 2017 (D) 2019. Answer: (C) 2017 — at the Astana Summit.
4. Q: Which Indian port development is significant for India's connectivity to Central Asia bypassing Pakistan? (A) Mundra Port (B) Chabahar Port (C) JNPT (D) Kandla Port. Answer: (B)
5. Q: The 26th SCO Summit (2026) was held in which city? (A) Tashkent (B) Beijing (C) Astana (D) Bishkek. Answer: (D) Bishkek (Kyrgyzstan).

Essay Dimensions

1. India in the SCO: Multilateral engagement as a tool of strategic autonomy
2. Central Asia — the next frontier of India's neighbourhood-first policy
3. China's dominance of Eurasian institutions: Challenge or opportunity for India?
4. Connectivity, commerce, and counter-terrorism: India's three pillars in the SCO
5. The geometry of Indian foreign policy: Balancing the Quad, BRICS, and SCO simultaneously

Interview Questions

1. How does India's membership in the SCO serve its security interests, particularly with respect to cross-border terrorism?
2. India and China are both members of the SCO. Do you think India should exit the SCO given the current India–China tensions?
3. What is the significance of Chabahar Port for India's Central Asia connectivity strategy?
4. How does India's opposition to the BRI within the SCO affect its standing in the organisation?
5. You are posted as India's Ambassador to Uzbekistan. What are your top three priorities for advancing India's interests there?

FAQ

Q: What is the SCO and why does India need to be in it?

The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) is the world's largest regional organisation by geographic coverage (~60% of Eurasian landmass). India joined as a full member in 2017 to engage with its extended neighbourhood in Central Asia, coordinate on counter-terrorism, and participate in Eurasian trade and connectivity frameworks — while also balancing China's rising influence in the region.

Q: Why can't India directly reach Central Asia by land?

Pakistan, which lies between India and Central Asia (via Afghanistan), does not permit India transit access through its territory. This forces India to rely on alternate routes such as the Chabahar Port in Iran and the INSTC (Iran–Russia–Central Asia), significantly raising trade logistics costs.

Q: How many members does the SCO have in 2026?

The SCO has 10 full members: China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, India, Pakistan, Iran, and Belarus. It also has 15 dialogue partners and several observers.

Further Reading

• MEA press release on PM Modi's Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan visit: https://mea.gov.in
• SCO official website: http://eng.sectsco.org
• India–Central Asia Vision Document 2030 (MEA, 2022)