PM Narendra Modi's engagements at the upcoming SCO Summit in China will be closely watched by the world.
New Delhi/Beijing: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hold bilateral meetings with Chinese President Xi Jinping, Russian President Vladimir Putin, and other top leaders on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Tianjin, China.
As he left for the high-profile foreign tour covering Japan and China on August 28, the Indian leader said in his departure statement that, "I am confident that my visits to Japan and China would further our national interests and priorities, and contribute to building fruitful cooperation in advancing regional and global peace, security, and sustainable development."
The Indian PM will be in China on August 31 at the invitation of President Xi - his first visit to China in the last seven years and the first since the Galwan Valley faceoff in June 2020 between the soldiers of the two countries at the Line of Actual Control (LAC).
While addressing a special press briefing on the PM's visit to China and Japan, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said that Modi will be holding a number of bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the SCO Summit, and the work continues to finalize those meetings.
"India remains committed to working with the SCO members to address shared challenges and deepen regional cooperation. I also look forward to meeting President Xi Jinping, President Putin, and other leaders on the sidelines of the Summit,” PM Modi stated. India is expected to focus on counter-terrorism, regional stability, energy security, and connectivity at the SCO.
The SCO is a permanent intergovernmental international organization established in Shanghai on June 15, 2001. The SCO member states are: China, Russia, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Pakistan, Uzbekistan, Iran, and Belarus.
Russian President Vladimir Putin is also set to visit China to attend the SCO Summit, with the Kremlin confirming that the Presidential office is currently preparing a schedule of the leader's bilateral meetings, which will be held on the sidelines of the event.
PM Modi is reaching Japan on August 29 to participate in the 15th India-Japan Annual Summit. This will be his eighth visit and the first Summit meeting with Japanese counterpart Shigeru Ishiba. Both India and Japan have accelerated trade and economic ties, with over 170 MoUs signed in two years representing more than $13 billion in committed investments.
