The SCO has eight full members, including its six founding members, China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. India and Pakistan joined as full members in 2017.
New Delhi: On the sidelines of a regional SCO summit in Uzbekistan, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is all set to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin. It is expected that trade and geopolitics will be on the agenda when the two leaders meet.
According to the schedule, Modi will formally begin his participation in the SCO summit on Friday starting with the reception for leaders and a group photo and followed by a restricted format meeting of the leaders.
Later, Modi and Putin will discuss issues around strategic stability, the situation in the Asia Pacific region and bilateral cooperation within the UN and G20. Modi will also hold bilateral talks with Uzbekistan President Shavkat Mirziyoyev and Iran President Ebrahim Raisi.
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Before leaving for the summit, Modi said, “At the SCO Summit, I look forward to exchanging views on topical, regional and international issues, the expansion of SCO and further deepening of multifaceted and mutually beneficial cooperation within the Organisation.”
On looking forward to meet President Mirziyoyev, Modi added, “I fondly recall his visit to India in 2018. He also graced the Vibrant Gujarat Summit as Guest of Honour in 2019. In addition, I will hold bilateral meetings with some of the other leaders attending the summit.”
Meanwhile, when the media asked Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra about a possibility of Modi meeting China’s Xi Jingping, he said, “We will keep you fully apprised when the PM’s schedule of bilateral meetings unfolds.”
The Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit will have two sessions — a restricted session only for the member states and then there will be an extended session which is likely to see the participation of the observers and the special invitees of the chair country.
The SCO has eight full members, including its six founding members, China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. India and Pakistan joined as full members in 2017.
