SCO Summit: PM Modi, Xi set to come face to face for first time since military stand-off

New Delhi, Sep 16: Prime Minister Narendra Modi who is set to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in Samarkand will come facet face with Chinese President Xi Jinping for the first time since the military standoff began in Ladakh in 2020.

The PM arrived at Samarkand for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit on Thursday evening. He will formally begin his participation in the summit beginning today.

The Chinese President was however not seen in the images of the dinner and other ceremonial gatherings. It appears that he skipped these events.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin will discuss trade and geopolitics on the sidelines of the SCO today. There has however been no confirmation on a meeting between PM Modi and Chinese President, Xi Jinping.

The PM will discuss with President Putin issues of strategic stability, situation in the Asia Pacific region and bi-lateral cooperation with the UN and G20, the Kremlin had announced.

PM Modi will also hold a bi-lateral with Uzbekistan President Shavkat Mirziyoyev and Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi. "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," the PM had said before leaving for the summit.

"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.

Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra said when asked about a meeting between PM Modi and President Xi Jinping, " we will keep you fully appraised when the PM's schedule of the bilateral meetings unfold.

The SCO is having its first in-person summit in two years. The meeting was held in a virtual format owing to COVID-19. The in-person meeting provides an opportunity for all the head heads of state to meet on the sidelines of the event.