On Friday, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar met with Nurlan Yermekbayev, the Secretary General of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), to discuss various initiatives and activities of the organization, as well as pressing regional and global issues. Jaishankar shared insights about the meeting on social media, stating that it was a pleasure to engage with Yermekbayev. This meeting is part of India's broader strategy to enhance its involvement with the SCO, focusing on regional connectivity and security cooperation.

In a related context, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh recently participated in the SCO Defence Ministers' Meeting held in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, where he engaged in bilateral discussions with defence ministers from Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, and Belarus. Singh emphasized the need for stronger defence ties and presented health assistance tools to Kyrgyzstan. He also discussed capacity building and training with Belarus and reaffirmed the significance of defence partnerships with Kazakhstan, highlighting their role in bilateral relations.