India’s Deputy National Security Adviser Pavan Kapoor held a series of high-level bilateral meetings with counterparts from Iran, Russia and Kyrgyzstan on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) security council meeting in Bishkek, amid growing regional security concerns and shifting geopolitical alignments across Eurasia.
Kapoor represented India at the 21st Meeting of the Secretaries of the Security Council of SCO Member States held in the Kyrgyz capital on Wednesday, where he delivered India’s national statement and signed the protocol adopted at the conclusion of the meeting.
The engagements assume significance as the SCO — comprising India, China, Russia, Pakistan and Central Asian nations, along with Iran and Belarus — increasingly emerges as a major Eurasian security and strategic platform at a time of heightened instability in West Asia, Afghanistan and the broader region.
On the margins of the meeting, Kapoor held talks with Iranian official Ali Bagheri Kani, where discussions focused on bilateral and regional developments.
The interaction comes amid rising tensions in West Asia and follows intensified diplomatic outreach between India and Iran on regional connectivity, maritime security and strategic cooperation. Tehran’s growing role within regional forums such as the SCO and BRICS has added new geopolitical weight to India-Iran engagement despite continuing turbulence in the region.
Kapoor also met Aleksandr Venediktov for discussions on issues of mutual strategic interest. India and Russia continue to maintain close coordination on regional security, defence and multilateral cooperation despite evolving global geopolitical equations.
In another key meeting, the Deputy NSA held talks with Adilet Orozbekov, reflecting India’s continued focus on deepening engagement with Central Asian countries under its “Connect Central Asia” policy.
Officials said the SCO deliberations focused on regional security challenges, counter-terrorism cooperation, extremism, transnational crime and developments in Afghanistan.
India has consistently used the SCO platform to push for stronger action against terrorism and regional instability, while also balancing its strategic interests amid the complex dynamics involving China, Russia, Iran and Central Asian states.
