Jaiprakash Ranjan, New Delhi: Ahead of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit to be held on Tuesday in Bishkek, the capital of Kyrgyzstan, major world leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Russian President Vladimir Putin, Chinese President Xi Jinping, and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, have arrived or are about to arrive. The city, however, saw the surprising entry of another guest, Sergio Gor, the US ambassador to India.
Gor, who is also President Donald Trump's representative in South and Central Asia, has been sent to Bishkek to manage the diplomatic situation.
The visit is significant as Trump has always been sceptical of organisations like BRICS and SCO.
It remains to be seen whether Gor's arrival in Bishkek will have any impact on the joint statement to be issued after the summit on September 1, 2026. It is expected that the joint statement will target US activities in West Asia, including those related to China, Russia, and Iran. Kyrgyzstan, as chair, will undoubtedly play a key role in shaping the language of the joint statement.
What's the official purpose of Gor's visit?
Gor's visit is officially linked to the 35th anniversary of Kyrgyzstan's Independence Day and the opening of the World Nomad Games. However, the timing has been a topic of debate in diplomatic circles.
The lack of a direct US presence on a platform like the SCO, or a trusted ally within the organisation, poses a significant challenge for the Trump administration amid challenges in West Asia and Europe.
Whom did Gore meet after reaching Bishkek?
Gor arrived in Bishkek and met with President Sadyr Zhaparov. The two sides discussed bilateral cooperation, investment, digital technology, and regional connectivity. Zhaparov is also scheduled to visit the United States in the near future.
Last year's SCO summit in Tianjin had sent a strong message to the US as pictures of PM Modi, Putin, and Xi Jinping together became a topic of discussion in the global strategic community. PM Modi's visit to China, amid the Trump administration's tariff policy and pressure on India to purchase oil from Russia, caused discomfort in Washington.
Opposition and critics accused Trump of alienating India from the United States because of his policies. Trump himself commented on social media that the United States had lost India and Russia to China.
Trump administration increasing activity in Central Asia
The Trump administration has now increased its involvement in Central Asia. Gor was appointed ambassador to India and special envoy for all of South and Central Asia. Born in Tashkent, Gor is fluent in the region's languages and is considered close to Trump.
The US is attempting to prevent SCO members from being completely drawn into the Russia-China axis. A major reason for US concern about the SCO is that the Trump administration cannot fully trust any of the organisation's full members. Russia and China are clearly opposed to Western influence.
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Iran openly criticises the Middle East crisis and US policies. If Tehran were to raise its voice against Washington on the SCO platform, there would be no member state to counterbalance it.
This situation is different from that of BRICS. BRICS includes countries like the United Arab Emirates, which can offer practical countermeasures to many of the issues raised by Iran. The SCO lacks such a balancing power role.
Therefore, the US is trying to woo Central Asian countries, especially Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, through economic partnership and investment.