Bishkek, April 28 -- Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday paid tribute to the fallen heroes by laying a wreath at Victory Square in Bishkek, marking a solemn start to his official engagements in the capital.

The visit follows Singh's arrival in the Kyrgyz capital on Monday to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) defence ministers' meeting, where regional security and the ongoing crisis in West Asia are expected to dominate the agenda.

The gathering, scheduled for Tuesday, will see defence chiefs from member nations deliberating on critical issues, including international peace, counter-terrorism initiatives, and enhanced defence cooperation within the bloc.

According to the Defence Ministry, this year's summit is bei...