Uzbekistan: Trade and geopolitics will be on the agenda when Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin meet on the sidelines of a regional summit in Uzbekistan today. The government has not confirmed any meeting with China’s Xi Xingping.
PM Modi, who was one of the last leaders to arrive in Samarkand for the SCO summit on Thursday evening, will formally begin his participation in the regional summit today starting with the reception for leaders and a group photo and followed by a restricted format meeting of the leaders.
The Prime Minister will then hold bilateral meetings with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Uzbekistan President Shavkat Mirziyoyev and Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi post lunch. The structured bilateral meeting plan of the Prime Minister includes only these three countries.
“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,” PM Modi said before leaving for the regional summit in Uzbekistan’s historic city of Samarkand.
PM Modi also said he was also looking forward to meeting Uzbekistan President Mirziyoyev. “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,” PM Modi said.
There is no confirmation over his possible bilateral with China’s Xi Jingping. “We will keep you fully apprised when the PM’s schedule of bilateral meetings unfolds,” Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra said when asked if PM Modi and the Chinese President will have a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the summit.
