Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan – Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Monday on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in Bishkek, marking their first bilateral meeting since the outbreak of the US-Iran war in February 2026 . The two leaders reviewed recent developments in West Asia and discussed ways to strengthen bilateral ties, with Modi reiterating India’s consistent position that all issues must be resolved through dialogue and diplomacy .
During the meeting, PM Modi underlined the need for continued efforts to ensure peace and stability in the region, and for safeguarding freedom of navigation and commerce . The Ministry of External Affairs stated that the prime minister also urged the protection of commercial shipping, insisting that seafarers and civilians must not be harmed amid the ongoing West Asia conflict . Modi reiterated India’s commitment to strengthening its long-standing friendship with Iran across diverse sectors and expressed a desire to expand and diversify the trade basket.
The leaders also discussed India’s readiness to closely cooperate with Iran in multilateral organisations, including BRICS and SCO, with Modi conveying that he looks forward to welcoming President Pezeshkian to India for the BRICS Summit scheduled in New Delhi on September 12-13 . The meeting comes against the backdrop of ongoing conflicts in West Asia impacting regional stability, commercial navigation and maritime logistics . Modi is in Kyrgyzstan to attend the 26th SCO Summit and the opening ceremony of the 6th World Nomad Games
