In the ancient city of Samarkand, world leaders gathered for the first in-person Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit since the pandemic, and India's Prime Minister Modi used the moment to speak plainly about the cost of conflict — telling Putin that this is not an era for war, while pressing the assembled powers toward greater connectivity and cooperation. The meeting carried the weight of unresolved tensions: Modi and Xi sat face-to-face for the first time since their nations' border standoff began, and the bloc itself expanded with Iran's formal admission. As India assumed the SCO's rot
Modi departs Samarkand after SCO summit, bilateral talks with Putin, Xi
Today's era is not of war, Modi told Putin amid regional tensions
Mark
So Modi went to Samarkand and met with Putin, Xi, and several other leaders. What was the actual point of the summit?
Mimi
The SCO is trying to position itself as a counterweight to Western-dominated institutions. They're talking about supply chains, connectivity, and regional cooperation—but the real story is that these are countries with very different interests trying to find common ground.
Luke
Right, but what did they actually agree to? The reporting says Modi called for "trusted and resilient supply chains" and "full transit rights," but I don't see any concrete outcomes or agreements announced.
Mimi
That's fair. The summit seems to have been more about the symbolism of gathering in person again after two years, and about positioning. Iran got permanent membership, India got the presidency.
Mark
Why does India getting the presidency matter?
Mimi
It gives India a platform to shape the SCO's agenda for the next year. Given the border tensions with China and the relationship with Russia, it's a significant diplomatic role.
Luke
But again—what does that actually mean in practice? Can India force any decisions through the SCO, or is it mostly ceremonial?
Mimi
That's the real question. The SCO operates by consensus, which means any member can block anything. So India's presidency is more about agenda-setting and hosting the next summit than wielding hard power.
Mark
And Modi's message to Putin about "it's not an era of war"—did that land?
Mimi
We don't know. The reporting doesn't tell us Putin's response or whether it changed anything about Russia's position on Ukraine. It was Modi's position stated on the record.
Luke
Exactly. Modi said it, but there's no indication it moved the needle with anyone. That's important context the reader should hold.
El Pulso
- Modi confronted Putin directly in Samarkand, declaring that 'today's era is not of war' — a rare public rebuke from a leader who has carefully balanced India's ties with both Russia and the West.
- The first face-to-face meeting between Modi and Xi in over two years crackled with unspoken tension, as the two nations' border standoff in eastern Ladakh remains unresolved after 28 months.
- Iran's formal admission as a permanent SCO member reshapes the bloc's geographic and political gravity, extending its reach deep into the Middle East.
- India assumed the SCO's rotating presidency, giving New Delhi a platform to steer the organization's agenda on supply chain resilience and regional transit rights — including the long-contested question of Pakistan granting India access to Afghanistan.
- The summit closed with India positioned at the center of a shifting trans-regional order, tasked with holding together an organization whose members carry competing interests and unresolved disputes.
In the ancient city of Samarkand, world leaders gathered for the first in-person Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit since the pandemic, and India's Prime Minister Modi used the moment to speak plainly about the cost of conflict — telling Putin that this is not an era for war, while pressing the assembled powers toward greater connectivity and cooperation. The meeting carried the weight of unresolved tensions: Modi and Xi sat face-to-face for the first time since their nations' border standoff began, and the bloc itself expanded with Iran's formal admission. As India assumed the SCO's rotating presidency, the summit offered a glimpse of a world order still negotiating its shape — one in which dialogue, trade routes, and institutional belonging are themselves forms of power.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi departed Samarkand after attending the SCO's first in-person summit in two years, a gathering that reassembled the bloc's major powers in Uzbekistan's historic city. Chinese President Xi Jinping, Russian President Vladimir Putin, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, and Central Asian leaders all converged — a meeting that underscored the SCO's standing as one of the world's most consequential trans-regional organizations.
Modi arrived with clear priorities. He pressed Putin to end the Ukraine conflict, invoking the principle that diplomacy, not war, must define this era. Before the full summit, he called for resilient supply chains to withstand the disruptions of both the Ukraine crisis and the pandemic's aftermath, and urged member states to grant each other full transit rights — a proposal with particular resonance given Pakistan's longstanding resistance to allowing India overland access to Afghanistan and Central Asia.
The summit's margins carried their own diplomatic weight. Modi and Xi met face-to-face for the first time since the India-China border standoff erupted in eastern Ladakh some 28 months earlier — a moment laden with the accumulated tension of that unresolved dispute. Modi also held separate talks with Uzbek President Mirziyoyev on trade and connectivity, with Iranian President Raisi on matters of mutual concern, and with Turkish President Erdogan on expanding bilateral cooperation.
Institutionally, the summit marked a turning point. Iran was formally admitted as a permanent SCO member, extending the bloc's reach into the Middle East. India, meanwhile, assumed the rotating presidency from Uzbekistan, positioning New Delhi to shape the organization's agenda through a period of significant geopolitical flux. Founded in Shanghai in 2001 and expanded to include India and Pakistan in 2017, the SCO now faces the challenge of remaining relevant as supply chain resilience, transit connectivity, and great-power competition define the regional landscape.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi departed Samarkand on Friday after attending the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation's first in-person summit in two years, a gathering that reassembled the bloc's major powers in Uzbekistan's historic city for the first time since the pandemic disrupted its operations. The summit drew Chinese President Xi Jinping, Russian President Vladimir Putin, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, and leaders from Central Asian nations—a convergence of regional influence that underscored the SCO's weight as one of the world's largest trans-regional organizations.
Modi used the platform to press for immediate action on two fronts: he called on Putin to end the Ukraine conflict, telling the Russian leader that "today's era is not of war" and emphasizing the need for dialogue and diplomacy to resolve the standoff. In his address to the full summit, Modi advocated for the SCO to build resilient supply chains capable of withstanding the disruptions wrought by the Ukraine crisis and the lingering effects of the Covid-19 pandemic. He also pushed member states to grant each other full transit rights—a proposal aimed at expanding regional connectivity, though one that carries particular weight given Pakistan's historical resistance to granting India such access for trade with Afghanistan and beyond.
The bilateral meetings on the summit's margins revealed the diplomatic choreography at work. Modi and Xi met face-to-face for the first time since the India-China border standoff erupted in eastern Ladakh roughly 28 months earlier, a moment freighted with significance given the tensions that have defined their relationship since then. Modi also held separate talks with Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, focusing on deepening connectivity, trade, and cultural ties, and met with Iranian President Raisi to discuss matters of mutual concern. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan was another bilateral partner, with both leaders reviewing their relationship and exploring avenues for expanded cooperation.
The summit itself marked a turning point for the SCO's institutional structure. Iran, long a regional player seeking formal standing within the bloc, was admitted as a permanent member—a decision that expands the organization's footprint and influence across the Middle East. India, meanwhile, assumed the SCO's rotating presidency from Uzbekistan, positioning the country to shape the organization's agenda and priorities in the coming year. The SCO itself, founded in Shanghai in June 2001 with six founding members—China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan—expanded to include India and Pakistan as full members in 2017, and has since grown into a significant player in regional security, trade, and diplomatic coordination.
Before departing, Modi acknowledged the visit's scope in a tweet, noting he had engaged in "productive multilateral and bilateral engagements" and thanking Uzbekistan for its hospitality. India's Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Arindam Bagchi echoed the sentiment, characterizing Modi's participation and bilateral conversations as strengthening "regional peace, security and prosperity." The summit concluded with India positioned to lead the organization through a period of significant geopolitical flux—one in which supply chain resilience, transit connectivity, and the management of great-power competition will define the bloc's relevance.
Citas Notables
Today's era is not of war— Prime Minister Modi to Russian President Putin
Modi called for member states to grant each other full transit rights to expand regional connectivity— Modi's address to the SCO summit
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