Rajnath Singh to Attend SCO Meet in Kyrgyzstan, Pitch Zero Tolerance on Terrorism

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will visit Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan , to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Defence Ministers’ Meeting , a key multilateral security forum bringing together major Eurasian powers.

In a post on X, Singh said he is “leaving for Bishkek” and looks forward to participating in discussions focused on regional peace and security cooperation . During the meeting, he is expected to highlight India’s commitment to global peace while strongly reiterating its position of “zero tolerance for terrorism and extremism.”

The SCO platform provides India with a critical opportunity to engage in counter-terrorism cooperation , including discussions on joint military exercises, intelligence sharing, and coordinated strategies against radicalisation. The Defence Minister’s participation comes at a time when security challenges in Eurasia and surrounding regions remain complex and evolving.

India’s engagement in the SCO is also strategically significant because it brings together India, China, Russia, and Central Asian countries under one security umbrella. This allows New Delhi to maintain dialogue with key global powers even amid broader geopolitical tensions, reinforcing its approach of strategic autonomy and multi-alignment .

Beyond multilateral discussions, Singh is expected to hold bilateral meetings with defence counterparts of member states, further strengthening India’s defence partnerships. He will also interact with the Indian community in Bishkek, which largely comprises students especially those pursuing medical education along with a smaller number of professionals and businesspersons, reflecting the growing people-to-people ties between the two countries.

The SCO, founded in 2001 , has evolved from a regional border security mechanism into a major organisation covering political, economic, and security cooperation across Eurasia . Its expansion over the years including the inclusion of India and Pakistan in 2017 and Iran in 2023 has significantly increased its geopolitical relevance.

India views the SCO as an important platform for advancing its “extended neighbourhood” policy , particularly in Central Asia , a region critical for connectivity, energy cooperation, and counter-terrorism efforts linked to Afghanistan and beyond.

The grouping also provides a structured mechanism such as the Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS) and regular joint military exercises , enabling member states to coordinate responses to shared security threats.

India and Kyrgyzstan maintain strong and longstanding defence ties, including training programmes, officer exchanges, and technical cooperation . The two sides recently held the India-Kyrgyzstan Joint Working Group on Defence Cooperation , focusing on expanding defence technology collaboration and industrial partnerships for 2026–27.