Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will represent India at the 25th meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Council of Heads of Government, scheduled to be held in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, on October 19–20, 2026.
The meeting is expected to focus on strengthening multilateral cooperation among SCO member states, with particular emphasis on trade, economic engagement, investment, connectivity, innovation and cultural-humanitarian exchanges.
During the meeting, member states will review the progress of ongoing cooperation initiatives and deliberate on decisions concerning the organisation’s financial and institutional functioning. The engagement will also provide India with an opportunity to exchange views with other member countries on advancing practical and mutually beneficial regional cooperation.
India continues to actively participate in various SCO mechanisms, contributing to collaborative initiatives in areas such as start-ups, innovation, digital public infrastructure and people-to-people exchanges.
The forthcoming meeting assumes significance as member states seek to deepen economic and regional engagement through multilateral dialogue and cooperation.
The previous meeting of the SCO Council of Heads of Government was held in Moscow, Russia, on November 18, 2025, with External Affairs Minister Dr S. Jaishankar representing India.
The visit reaffirms India’s continued engagement with the SCO framework and its commitment to constructive dialogue and regional cooperation.
