PM Modi-Putin meet at SCO: What India and Russia are expected to discuss

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, with bilateral, regional and global issues expected to be discussed.

The Ministry of External Affairs said Modi will begin his visit to Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan on August 29. He will be in Uzbekistan from August 29 to 30 before travelling to Kyrgyzstan for the SCO summit, scheduled from August 31 to September 1.

Trade, economy likely to figure in talks

The meeting between Modi and Putin is expected to cover bilateral trade and economic cooperation, with energy and fertiliser supplies also likely to remain important areas of discussion.

The proposed meeting comes shortly after External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar's two-day visit to Russia, during which he met Putin.

Putin had expressed hope that he would meet Modi on the sidelines of the SCO summit and asked Jaishankar to convey his best wishes to the Prime Minister.

Putin assures India on energy, fertilisers

During his meeting with Jaishankar, Putin assured India of continued supplies of energy and fertilisers amid disruptions caused by the West Asia conflict.

He also said bilateral trade had increased this year after a slight decline in 2025. Russia, he added, was increasing fertiliser supplies to India.

Several issues were discussed at the meeting of the India-Russia Intergovernmental Commission for Trade, Economic, Scientific, Technological and Cultural Cooperation (IRIGC-TEC), including energy and fertilisers.

“One of these issues is not only energy – it is, of course, the supply of fertilisers… We are doing everything to resolve this issue for Indian farmers, for agriculture. We are increasing these supplies and are ready to do so further,” Putin said.

The Modi-Putin meeting will take place against the backdrop of ongoing regional developments and continued efforts to strengthen India-Russia economic cooperation.