Putin, PM Modi to meet at SCO Summit
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to hold a bilateral meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in Bishkek, as part of his four-day visit to Uzbekistan and the Kyrgyz Republic from August 29 to September 1, the Ministry of External Affairs said on Thursday.
Modi will first travel to Tashkent for a bilateral visit to Uzbekistan before heading to Bishkek for the 26th SCO Summit from August 31 to September 1. He is also expected to hold bilateral meetings with other SCO leaders on the margins of the summit.
According to the diplomatic sources in Delhi, Putin will be among the leaders with whom Modi will hold bilateral discussions.
The Prime Minister is expected to visit the Shastri Memorial in Tashkent and the Mahatma Gandhi Centre at the Tashkent State University of Oriental Studies.
MEA Secretary (West) Sibi George said this would be Modi’s fourth visit to Uzbekistan and his second bilateral visit to the country.
India and Uzbekistan have maintained “extensive and fruitful engagements” over the years across bilateral and multilateral platforms, George said at a special briefing on Modi’s visit.
India is among Uzbekistan’s top 10 trading partners, with bilateral trade and investments together close to $1 billion, he said.
The two countries have wide-ranging cooperation in critical minerals, pharmaceuticals, education, information technology and healthcare.
Modi’s visit to Bishkek comes as the SCO marks the 25th anniversary of its founding. India, which joined the organisation as an observer in 2005, became a full member in 2017.
The SCO’s primary objective includes combating the three “evils” of terrorism, separatism and extremism, which continue to pose challenges to the region.
