Rajnath Singh in Bishkek for SCO Meet; India to Pitch for ‘Zero Tolerance’ on Terror
BISHKEK (KYRGYZ REPUBLIC) — Defence Minister Rajnath Singh arrived in the Kyrgyz capital on Monday, April 27, 2026, to lead a high-level Indian delegation for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Defence Ministers’ Meeting. The summit comes at a time of heightened geopolitical friction, with India expected to take a firm stand on regional security and counter-terrorism.
Focus on West Asia and Global Stability
Scheduled for Tuesday, the meeting will see Defence Ministers from the 10-nation bloc deliberate on pressing global challenges. A primary focus of this year’s summit is the West Asia crisis. Member nations are expected to explore collective measures to prevent the conflict from destabilizing regional trade and security corridors.
Key Agenda Points:
- Counter-Terrorism: India is set to reiterate its “Zero Tolerance” stance against extremism.
- Regional Peace: Discussions on international peace and the “evolving security challenges” in Central Asia.
- Defence Ties: Enhancing technical and strategic collaboration between member states.
Strengthening “Strategic Ties”
On the sidelines of the main event, Rajnath Singh is scheduled to hold a series of bilateral meetings. He is expected to meet with his counterparts from Belarus, Kazakhstan, and the Kyrgyz Republic. These talks are aimed at deepening military-to-military cooperation, which has become a cornerstone of India’s “Extended Neighborhood” policy.
The SCO Context
The SCO remains one of the world’s largest regional organizations, covering 40% of the global population. India, which joined as a full member in 2017, has increasingly used this platform to address cross-border terrorism and promote economic connectivity.
Current SCO Members: India, Russia, China, Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Iran, and Belarus.