"Look forward to productive deliberations": EAM MoS Kirti Vardhan Singh arrives in Kyrgyzstan for SCO FM's meeting
Bishkek, July 22
Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh on Wednesday arrived in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, to participate in the Meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, where leaders are expected to deliberate on key regional and global issues.
In a post on X, Singh said he looked forward to meaningful discussions and advancing cooperation with the SCO.
Singh said, "Arrived in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan to participate in the Meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO)."
"Look forward to productive deliberations on issues of regional and global significance, and to advancing cooperation within the SCO," he added.
Singh is on a two-day official visit to the Kyrgyz Republic from July 23 to 24 to participate in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Council of Foreign Ministers meeting.
In an official statement released by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Tuesday, the MEA outlined the details of the Minister's upcoming visit to Cholpon-Ata city.
"Minister of State for External Affairs, Shri Kirti Vardhan Singh will undertake an official visit to the Kyrgyz Republic on 23-24 July, 2026 to participate in the Meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers (CFM) of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), to be held in Cholpon-Ata city," the Ministry of External Affairs said.
Highlighting the agenda of the deliberations, the Ministry stated that the meeting serves as a prelude to the upcoming Heads of State summit.
"The SCO CFM Meeting is held in preparation for the SCO Leadership Summit, scheduled to be held in Bishkek on 31 August - 01 September 2026. The Foreign Ministers will review progress in key areas of SCO cooperation and exchange views on matters of regional and international significance. They are expected to finalize documents and decisions for adoption by the Heads of the State at the Bishkek Summit," the MEA added.
The MEA further noted that MoS Kirti Vardhan Singh will engage in high-level multilateral interactions during his stay.
"During the visit, the Minister of State is expected to hold bilateral meetings with counterparts from SCO Member States on the sidelines of the CFM," the statement added.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Even as we engage with SCO, we must remember Pakistan and China are also members. Need to balance our interests carefully - especially on cross-border terrorism and CPEC issues. The devil is in the details! 🤔
SCO is becoming more relevant with each passing year. With Russia, China, Iran, and Central Asian republics all at the table, India has a unique opportunity to act as a bridge between East and West. Hope MoS Singh pushes for stronger counter-terrorism cooperation. Jai Hind!
While these meetings are important, I hope our diplomats are also focusing on practical outcomes - like increased trade, energy security, and people-to-people ties. Not just photo ops and joint statements.
Kyrgyzstan is beautiful - my friend visited Bishkek and Issyk-Kul lake last year. Our cultural connections with Central Asia go back centuries. Great that MoS is there to strengthen these ties! 🇮🇳🇰🇬
Respectful observation: While SCO membership is beneficial, we must not let it dilute our independent foreign policy. China's growing influence in the region needs to be watched carefully. Let's engage but also protect our strategic autonomy.
D Divya L So We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.