Archive · 1 Sep 2026
Modi Urges Putin to End Russia-Ukraine War at SCO Summit
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Russian President Vladimir Putin at a regional meeting in Kyrgyzstan.
Modi asked Putin to help end the war in Ukraine.
He said countries should work toward peace instead of allowing the fighting to continue.
Putin said Russia was moving in that direction, but he did not explain what that meant.
Modi also met Iran’s president to discuss friendship and trade.
Putin separately met Chinese President Xi Jinping to discuss cooperation and world issues.
India is trying to maintain relationships with Russia, Iran and the United States at the same time.
The Shanghai Cooperation Organization has many members, but disagreements make it difficult for the group to take strong joint action.
Narendra Modi urged Vladimir Putin to move from an ongoing war to an end to the war in Ukraine.
Putin replied that Russia was moving in that direction but provided no details.
Modi and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian discussed strengthening India-Iran ties and expanding trade.
Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping discussed bilateral relations, economic cooperation and international issues.
The Shanghai Cooperation Organization has expanded but faces divisions that limit coordinated action on global crises.
- Who
- Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin, with other leaders including Xi Jinping and Masoud Pezeshkian.
- What
- Modi urged Putin to end Russia’s war in Ukraine during talks on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit.
- When
- August 31, 2026.
- Where
- Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan.
- Why
- Modi said there was a need to move from ongoing war toward an end to the war and reiterated India’s support for peace efforts.
Peace and coordinated action
Strategic ties and limited cooperation
Ending the Ukraine war
Peace and coordinated action
India says continued fighting should give way to peace and has urged Russia to help end the war.
Strategic ties and limited cooperation
Russia continues to describe its relationship with India as a strong strategic partnership, while Putin offered only a brief statement that Russia was moving toward peace.
The SCO’s global role
Peace and coordinated action
The SCO’s expansion gives it a large population and economic base that could support a stronger international role.
Strategic ties and limited cooperation
Rivalries among members have limited the organization’s ability to create concrete mechanisms for joint action, including amid tensions between Iran and the United States.
India’s foreign-policy balance
Peace and coordinated action
India is promoting peace, maintaining ties with Iran and Russia, and seeking to expand trade with both partners.
Strategic ties and limited cooperation
India is also maintaining relations with the United States and negotiating a trade deal, requiring a cautious approach toward its other partners.
- Summit
- Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit
- Location
- Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan
- India’s Ukraine position
- India has called for an end to the fighting while avoiding direct criticism of Russia and abstaining from United Nations votes condemning the war.
- SCO membership
- The organization includes China, Russia, India, Pakistan, Iran, Belarus and Central Asian member states.
- SCO reach
- Its members account for more than 40% of the world’s population and about one-quarter of global gross domestic product, according to World Bank data.
- India-Russia trade
- Bilateral trade totaled nearly $60 billion in India’s 2026 fiscal year, according to the article.
- Trade target
- India and Russia aim to increase bilateral trade to $100 billion by the end of the decade.