PM Modi likely to skip SCO summit in Kazakhstan; Xi, Putin, Sharif may attend

Contact Counsellor

Last Updated25/06/2024

The Prime Minister of India is likely to skip the Summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) to be held in Kazakhstan next month, and External Affairs Minister is expected to officiate in his place.

The summit hosted by the Kazakh President is expected to include Russia, China, Central Asian leaders and Pakistan.
PM’s decision to miss the Astana meet could also have a bearing on India’s participation in the SCO Heads of Government conference, in ‘Autumn 2024’, which Pakistan would host.
The probable reason could be the coming Parliament session, which will run from June 24 to July 3.
The SCO, originally a Eurasian security and economic grouping promoted by Russia and China in 2001, includes Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, India, and Pakistan as full members. Iran and Belarus will be inducted this year.
PM’s absence at the SCO, despite the presence of other international leaders, is likely to raise questions over India’s commitment to the grouping that it joined just seven years ago as a full member.
Since the military standoff at the Line of Actual Control (LAC) and the deadly Galwan clashes of 2020, and the breakdown in ties, the Indian PM has not met the Chinese President for a bilateral meeting anywhere.

Since 2022, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has also made the discourse with Moscow more difficult.
Although Indian PM met with Russian President at the SCO summit in Uzbekistan in 2022
- The conversation was overshadowed by the conflict, and the Indian PM’s statement that “this era is not of war.
Russian foreign policy aide and senior diplomat had told that the Russian President was looking forward to meeting Indian PM at the conference,
- which was especially important “in the light of the elections in India.
If the Indian PM misses the SCO summit in July, it will be seen in sharp contrast to his attendance at the G-7 Summit in Italy,
- where India is not a member, but was invited to the ‘Outreach’ along with nine other countries.
All eyes will be on whether the Indian PM will attend the BRICS summit, hosted by President Putin this year.
- The grouping that India is a founding member of, will welcome five new members, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Egypt and Ethiopia, this year.