At the forthcoming Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in Astana on July 3 and 4, external affairs minister S Jaishankar will represent India. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will not attend this event but is expected to visit Moscow on July 8 for the India-Russia Summit.

Central Asian nation Kazakhstan, taking over the SCO presidency from India, is hosting this year’s summit. FinancialExpress.com has reported previously on June 25, Kazakhstan President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev had a telephonic conversation with PM Modi, during which Modi expressed full support. Both leaders reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening their strategic partnership.

SCO

The SCO, established in 2001, is a political, economic, and security organization. Its members include India, China, Russia, Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and Iran.

Last year, Jaishankar expressed concerns over terrorism at the virtual SCO Summit, attended by then-Pakistan Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto.

Modi has been a regular participant in SCO summits, attending five before the pandemic. In 2022, he travelled to Uzbekistan for the summit, where he urged Russian President Vladimir Putin to end the war in Ukraine, stating, “This is not an era of war.”

The SCO is an influential economic and security bloc, with this year’s summit expected to see participation from key leaders like Russian President Vladimir Putin, Chinese President Xi Jinping, and Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. The upcoming summit in Astana will provide a platform for discussing significant geopolitical issues and furthering cooperation among member states.

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Two nation visit

Next month, though no date has been officially announced, PM Modi is expected to travel to Moscow for the annual India-Russia Summit and then on his way back he will visit Vienna.

Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal confirmed that India and Russia are organizing the next summit and will share dates soon.

According to sources, Modi’s visit to Moscow likely to take place on July 8 marks a significant diplomatic move, filling the gap left by the postponements caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine conflict. This visit will be Modi’s second overseas trip this year, following his attendance at the G7 Summit in Italy as an observer country.