“Stop the war!” What did Narendra Modi say to Putin’s face in Bishkek?

On the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit held in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, an important face-to-face meeting took place between Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin. According to the Interfax news agency, during the talks with the Russian president, the Indian leader once again called for an end to the armed conflict in Ukraine and a shift toward a diplomatic solution.

Narendra Modi openly emphasized that the global consequences of the war are becoming increasingly dangerous.

“Military actions must end”: Modi’s key statement

During the meeting, the Indian Prime Minister firmly stated the necessity of putting an end to the bloodshed:

• Open warning: “Every day of the war is holding all of humanity back. It is necessary to move toward ending military actions,” Narendra Modi emphasized;

• First face-to-face meeting: The two leaders met and held discussions directly for the first time since Vladimir Putin’s state visit to India in December 2025;

• Continuation of the dialogue: The parties announced that they would continue their dialogue later this month on the sidelines of the BRICS summit in New Delhi.

Narendra Modi’s consistent diplomatic position

The Indian leader has previously emphasized several times on the international stage and at high-level meetings that the Ukraine crisis must be resolved only through negotiations:

• Samarkand Summit (2022): “Today’s era is not an era of war. We have spoken many times on the phone: democracy, diplomacy, and dialogue are the main tools that influence the world,” he had addressed Putin;

• Moscow visit (2024): “It is impossible to find a solution to a problem or have successful peace negotiations under a rain of bombs, weapons, and bullets,” he stated sharply;

• Kyiv visit: Earlier this year, Modi visited Kyiv and called on both sides to return to the table for dialogue and negotiations.