Current Affairs - International

Singapore hosted the Second Global Business Summit on BRI Infrastructure on September 6, 2026. The summit brought together more than 300 senior leaders and private sector pioneers to address global connectivity challenges and explore opportunities linked to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The event resulted in 12 SDG-driven joint actions and innovative partnerships covering areas such as green mining, sustainable transport, biodiversity conservation, ocean protection, and women’s microenterprise growth. Two new expert groups were also established to focus on sustainable energy and sustainable digital infrastructure. The summit highlighted responsible infrastructure development and stronger international cooperation for sustainable growth.

Canada aims to expand bilateral trade with India to CAD 70 billion, approximately ₹4.65 lakh crore, by 2030. The two countries held their annual Foreign Office Consultations in New Delhi on September 2, 2026, to strengthen strategic and economic cooperation. They also agreed to work toward concluding the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) by the end of 2026 and expressed readiness to begin negotiations on a Bilateral Investment Treaty. The consultations were held at Hyderabad House and involved senior officials from both countries. The inaugural Canada-India Finance Ministers' Economic and Financial Dialogue also marked an important step in strengthening their economic partnership.

Belgium is the country with which India is strengthening defence, clean energy, and trade cooperation. On September 4, 2026, Prime Minister Narendra Modi held bilateral talks with Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever in New Delhi. Both countries targeted doubling bilateral trade within five years and announced a fast-track investment mechanism. Cooperation also includes indigenous defence manufacturing, renewable energy, critical minerals, and semiconductor technologies. Belgium is India’s 18th-largest source of foreign direct investment, with investments totalling $4.2 billion between April 2000 and December 2025. Brussels, Belgium’s capital, also hosts the headquarters of NATO and the European Union.

Uzbekistan partnered with NPCI International Payments Ltd (NIPL), the international arm of NPCI, to enable UPI-based payments through the Unified National QR (UZQR) system. Under the agreement with Uzbekistan’s National Interbank Processing Centre (HUMO), Indian travellers, including tourists and students, can make Person-to-Merchant (P2M) payments by scanning UZQR codes using UPI-enabled applications. The partnership received formal approval from the Reserve Bank of India and the Central Bank of Uzbekistan. With this development, Uzbekistan joined the growing group of countries accepting UPI for convenient cross-border digital payments.

Kyrgyzstan hosted the 26th Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit at the Yrys Ordo Congress Hall in Bishkek under the chairmanship of President Sadyr Japarov. The summit brought together leaders from the SCO’s 10 member states, along with partner and observer countries. India, China, Russia, Pakistan, Iran, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Kyrgyzstan participated as member states. The 2026 summit also marked the 25th anniversary of the SCO. Discussions focused on strengthening mutual trust, regional peace and stability, security, connectivity, economic cooperation, and multilateral engagement. India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi highlighted the priorities of Security, Connectivity, and Opportunity.