Modi's SCO Visit to Shape India's Regional and Global Agenda

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's forthcoming visit to the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation meeting will serve as a platform to strengthen India's engagement with key regional partners, particularly Iran and Tajikistan, while positioning the country for significant global responsibilities ahead.

The visit carries particular weight given India's imminent role in the BRICS grouping, with New Delhi set to host the bloc's September summit. Discussions are expected to focus on coordinating positions among SCO members on issues likely to dominate the BRICS agenda, reflecting India's effort to align its regional and global diplomatic initiatives.

Additionally, Modi's engagement will address India's aspirations for a non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council for the 2028-2029 term. The SCO platform provides an opportunity to build consensus and garner support from member states ahead of formal elections, strengthening India's candidacy among regional powers.

The visit is also expected to revive the long-stalled India-Central Asia Summit, which has not convened since 2022. Officials view this engagement as critical to deepening institutional ties with Central Asian republics and establishing regular high-level dialogue mechanisms that address shared security, economic, and connectivity concerns.

These overlapping diplomatic objectives underscore India's strategy to leverage multilateral forums for advancing both regional integration and broader great-power positioning in an increasingly multipolar international environment.