PM Modi with SCO leaders participates in 6th World Nomad Games opening ceremony in Bishkek

The participation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the 6th World Nomad Games opening ceremony in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, marks a significant milestone in India's evolving engagement with Central Asia under the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) framework. Held biennially since their inception in 2014, the World Nomad Games were conceptualised by Kyrgyzstan to revive and celebrate the rich sporting traditions, cultural heritage, and nomadic civilisation values shared across the Eurasian steppes. The 2024 edition, hosted in Cholpon-Ata near Lake Issyk-Kul from September 8-13, brought together over 2,500 athletes from 89 countries competing in 21 traditional sports such as kok-boru (goat carcass polo), horseback wrestling (alysh), eagle hunting, and traditional archery — disciplines that reflect the martial and survival skills of historic nomadic societies. Prime Minister Modi's attendance alongside leaders of SCO member states — including Chinese President Xi Jinping, Russian President Vladimir Putin, Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, and Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev — underscores the growing strategic convergence within the SCO, which has expanded from its original 'Shanghai Five' (1996) to a nine-member bloc (India and Pakistan joined in 2017, Iran in 2023, Belarus in 2024). For India, this visit is a direct manifestation of its 'Connect Central Asia' policy, first articulated in 2012 by then External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna, which seeks to deepen political, economic, energy, and cultural ties with the five Central Asian republics: Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. The policy aligns with Article 51(c) of the Indian Constitution, which directs the State to 'foster respect for international law and treaty obligations in the dealings of organised peoples with one another,' and Article 253, empowering Parliament to implement international agreements. Strategically, India's presence at the Nomad Games serves multiple objectives. First, it reinforces soft power diplomacy by embracing shared civilisational links — India's own history includes nomadic and pastoral communities like the Gujjars, Bakarwals, and Dhangars, creating cultural resonance. Second, it strengthens India's position in the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC) and the Chabahar Port project, critical for bypassing Pakistan and accessing Central Asian markets and energy resources. Third, it counters growing Chinese influence under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) by offering an alternative partnership model based on capacity building, digital public infrastructure (like UPI and Aadhaar stacks), and pharmaceutical cooperation — areas where India has comparative advantage. Economically, Central Asia holds vast reserves of uranium (Kazakhstan is the world's top producer), rare earth elements, oil, and natural gas — vital for India's energy security and clean energy transition. The 2022 India-Central Asia Summit, held virtually, established a mechanism for regular dialogue, and Modi's physical presence in Bishkek signals a shift from virtual to high-contact diplomacy. The visit also coincided with discussions on the long-pending Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) pipeline and enhanced counter-terrorism cooperation through the SCO Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS), headquartered in Tashkent. Looking ahead, India is likely to deepen institutional engagement through the India-Central Asia Dialogue at the Foreign Ministers' level, expand scholarship programmes (like the ICCR's Central Asia scholarships), and promote Buddhist circuit tourism linking sites in India with Central Asian heritage. The Nomad Games, beyond sport, have become a platform for civilisational dialogue — and India's active participation ensures its voice shapes the narrative of a region increasingly central to the emerging multipolar world order.