Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday held bilateral discussions with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in Bishkek, where he called for safeguarding commercial shipping and stressed that seafarers and civilians must not be harmed amid the continuing conflict in West Asia.
After the meeting, the spokesperson for the Ministry of External Affairs said that the two leaders talked about bilateral relations, trade, the current situation in West Asia, and the security of seafarers.
The two leaders examined multiple dimensions of their bilateral relationship and assessed recent events in the West Asia region. The Prime Minister reaffirmed India’s longstanding stance that all matters should be settled through dialogue and diplomatic means.
The Prime Minister also emphasized the importance of sustained efforts to maintain regional peace and stability, as well as to protect the freedom of navigation and trade, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in a statement.
Reiterating India's readiness to closely cooperate with Iran in multilateral organisations, including BRICS and SCO, Prime Minister Modi conveyed to Pezeshkian that he looked forward to welcoming the Iranian President to India for the BRICS Summit scheduled in New Delhi on September 12-13.
Prime Minister Modi also expressed New Delhi's resolve to "expand and diversify" bilateral trade channels with Iran, emphasising the country's dedication to deepening historic ties across multiple domains.
This is the first meeting between the two leaders since the Israel and U.S. launched an attack on Iran, assassinating the former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei late in February 2026.
In a social media post about the meeting, PM Modi wrote, "Met President Masoud Pezeshkian in Bishkek. Reiterated our commitment to strengthening India’s long standing friendship with Iran across diverse sectors. We want to expand and diversify our trade basket in the times to come. We had a discussion on the prevailing situation in the region. India will continue to support all efforts aimed at ensuring lasting peace," he added.
In the past, the Prime Minister has spoken with Mr. Pezeshkian on telephone. Mr. Modi held a telephonic discussion with the Iranian President on June 30, 2026, shortly before Khamenei’s funeral on July 3. Earlier, on March 21, 2026, Mr. Modi had appealed to Mr. Pezeshkian to ensure "freedom of navigation," underscoring India’s mounting concern about disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz.
Mr. Modi will visit Kyrgyzstan at the invitation of President Sadyr Zhaparov to attend the 26th SCO Summit from August 31 to September 1.
The 10-nation SCO is commemorating the 25th anniversary of its establishment.
Created in 2001 by China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, it expanded to include India and Pakistan as full members in 2017, Iran in 2023, and Belarus in 2024.
Mr. Modi is also expected to conduct bilateral talks with SCO leaders, including Kyrgyz President Zhaparov and Russian President Vladimir Putin, on the margins of the summit.