PM Modi leaves for SCO Summit

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday left for the Uzbek city of Samarkand to attend the SCO summit that will also see the participation of Russian President Vladimir Putin, Chinese President Xi Jinping and Iran's Ebrahim Raisi among other top world leaders. The Prime Minister is visiting Uzbekistan at the invitation of President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev.

"Leaving for Samarkand, Uzbekistan to attend the SCO Summit, which will witness the exchange of views on a wide range of regional and global issues," Modi tweeted. Posting a picture of the Prime Minister emplaning for Samarkand, Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said the Summit will be an opportunity to review the activities of SCO and discuss prospects for future cooperation.

"PM @narendramodi emplanes for Samarkand, Uzbekistan to attend the 22nd Meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization," Bagchi tweeted.

In his pre-departure statement, Modi said he was looking forward to exchanging views on topical regional and international issues as well as on expansion and further deepening of multifaceted and mutually beneficial cooperation within the grouping. Uzbekistan is the current chair of the SCO. "Under the Uzbek chairship, a number of decisions for mutual cooperation are likely to be adopted in areas of trade, economy, culture and tourism," he said.

Modi said he was also looking forward to meeting 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," Modi said.