PM Modi Meets Iranian President In Kyrgyzstan: Why It Matters

Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a bilateral meeting with Iranian President Massoud Pezeshkian on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in Kyrgyzstan's capital, Bishkek. It is the first in-person meeting between the two leaders since the war with Iran began in February.During the meeting, the two sides reviewed the latest status of bilateral relations and emphasised the need to strengthen and expand joint cooperation between Iran and India in areas of interest to both countries, Iran's semi-official Tasnim news agency reported.Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi and other top Iranian officials were also present during the meeting.Why the Meeting MattersThe meeting came at a time when the geopolitical situation in the Middle East remained tense amid ongoing war between the US and Iran.