Modi Presses Putin for Ukraine Ceasefire at SCO Summit Amid Iran Crisis
At the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Bishkek, India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi directly urged Russian President Vladimir Putin to end the war in Ukraine, describing the conflict as a setback for humanity. While the official Bishkek Declaration focused heavily on condemning US and Israeli strikes on Iran and opposing Western sanctions, it notably omitted any mention of Ukraine. The summit approved 28 documents, including institutional reforms, but failed to launch a proposed SCO Development Bank due to disagreements over its location and governance. Modi’s direct appeal to Putin marked a visible shift in diplomatic tone, occurring against the backdrop of India’s significant reliance on Russian oil and ongoing tensions with the West.
