26th SCO Summit Begins In Bishkek, Key Bilateral Talks Focus On Trade Tariffs And Defence

The 26th Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Summit has commenced in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, marking twenty-five years of the grouping. Key discussions at the summit focus on bilateral economic relations, trade tariffs, trade imbalance, energy cooperation, and delays in defence deliveries. High-level engagements explore strategic cooperation, market access, and measures to balance regional dynamics while maintaining strategic autonomy. India is advancing its priorities at the forum, emphasising counter-terrorism, radicalisation prevention, terror financing curbs, and cross-border extremism measures. Regional connectivity initiatives, including the expansion of Chabahar Port and the North-South Transport Corridor, remain central to discussions. Discussions also address maintaining a multipolar regional order, managing foreign policy balances, and building consensus across regional platforms ahead of upcoming multilateral engagements.