Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will visit Dushanbe, Tajikistan, to represent India at the 25th meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation’s Council of Heads of Government on October 19-20.
The Ministry of Defence (MoD) said that the meeting will focus on strengthening cooperation among SCO member states in trade, the economy, investment, connectivity, innovation and cultural and humanitarian exchanges.
Participants are also expected to review ongoing cooperation initiatives and consider decisions concerning the organisation’s financial and institutional functioning.
The meeting will provide India an opportunity to exchange views with other member states on advancing practical and mutually beneficial cooperation.
India remains engaged in SCO mechanisms through initiatives involving startups and innovation, digital public infrastructure and people-to-people exchanges.
The previous Council of Heads of Government meeting was held in Moscow on November 18, 2025, with External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar representing India.
