Union Minister of State for External Affairs, Kirti Vardhan Singh, is scheduled to visit Kyrgyzstan from July 23 for a two-day trip to participate in the Meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers (CFM) of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO). The CFM Meeting, to be held in Cholpon-Ata, will focus on reviewing progress in key areas of SCO cooperation and discussing regional and international matters of significance. The meeting serves as a preparatory session for the upcoming SCO Leadership Summit in Bishkek.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) stated that the Foreign Ministers at the SCO CFM Meeting will assess the advancements in SCO cooperation and engage in dialogues on regional and international issues. They are expected to finalize documents and decisions for approval by the Heads of State during the Bishkek Summit. Additionally, Kirti Vardhan Singh is anticipated to engage in bilateral discussions with counterparts from other SCO Member States during the event.
Kyrgyzstan currently holds the SCO chairmanship for the term 2025-2026, with President Sadyr Japarov highlighting ’25 Years of the SCO: Together Towards Sustainable Peace, Development, and Prosperity’ as the theme of its presidency. Recently, Union Minister of Culture Gajendra Singh Shekhawat represented India at the 23rd Meeting of the Ministers of Culture of the SCO Member States in Cholpon-Ata, Kyrgyzstan. The ministers deliberated on enhancing cultural cooperation, implementing joint projects, fostering creative exchanges, and safeguarding cultural heritage.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh had previously attended the SCO Defence Ministers’ Meeting in Bishkek, emphasizing the collective approach needed to combat terrorism, separatism, and extremism. The SCO, established in 2001 with six founding members, has expanded to include India, Pakistan, Iran, and Belarus over the years, totaling 10 member states. Additionally, the organization has two observer states and 14 dialogue partners.
