Raksha Mantri to lead Indian delegation at SCO Defence Ministers’ Meeting in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan

Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh will lead a high-level Indian delegation to the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Defence Ministers’ Meeting which will be held in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan on April 28, 2026. During the meeting, the Defence Ministers of various member countries will deliberate upon a number of issues concerning the defence & security of the region. Issues related to international peace, counter-terrorism and defence cooperation among SCO member states will also be discussed.

This year’s SCO meeting is taking place in the backdrop of geopolitical turmoil being witnessed due to the situation in West Asia. The SCO, one of the largest political & economic organisations of the region, may discuss measures to reduce the impact of the ongoing conflict.

Raksha Mantri will highlight India’s commitment towards global peace, amidst the prevailing global security challenges, and underline India’s consistent stance on zero tolerance for terrorism & extremism. On the sidelines of the meeting, Shri Rajnath Singh is likely to hold bilateral talks with his counterparts of some participating countries.

The SCO is an intern-governmental organisation established on June 15, 2001 in Shanghai, China. Its membership includes India, Russia, China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Iran and Belarus. India became a full member in 2017 and assumed the rotating chairmanship in 2023.