Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Russian President Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of the SCO Summit in Bishkek, with the two leaders sharing a warm hug before crucial bilateral talks. Trade, investment, energy and defence cooperation were key areas of discussion, while the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war also remained central to the meeting. Modi reiterated India's position that dialogue and diplomacy are the way forward and urged an end to hostilities, highlighting the wider consequences of prolonged conflict.