PM Modi, President Putin, President Xi share bonhomie ahead of SCO plenary session

Tianjin [China], September 1 (ANI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping shared light moments ahead of the SCO Summit's plenary session.

The leaders were seen holding discussions and having a conversation in a pull aside.

President Putin and Prime Minister Modi greeted each other with a warm hug, after which they walked towards the stage for a family photo of the SCO members.

The interaction between PM Modi and President Putin came ahead of their bilateral meeting which is scheduled to take place after the plenary session.

"Prime Minister will be addressing the plenary session of the Summit, where he will outline India's approach to fostering regional cooperation under the SCO umbrella. After this engagement, he is scheduled to have a bilateral meeting with President Vladimir Putin of Russia, following which he will depart for India," Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said on Sunday.

PM Modi held bilateral talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the SCO leaders' summit, during which both leaders welcomed the positive momentum and steady progress in bilateral relations since their last meeting in Kazan on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit in October 2024.

Both reaffirmed that the two countries were development partners and not rivals and that their differences should not turn into disputes and called for a stable relationship and cooperation between India and China based on mutual respect, mutual interest and mutual sensitivity, necessary for the growth and development of the two countries, as well as for a multipolar world and a multipolar Asia befitting the trends of the 21st century.

The Prime Minister also underlined the importance of peace and tranquility in the border areas for the continued development of bilateral relations.

The SCO comprises 10 members. In addition to India, they include Belarus, China, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. There are also several dialogue partners and observers. India has been a member of the SCO since 2017, having been an observer since 2005.

During its membership period, India has held the chair of the SCO Council of Heads of Government in 2020 and of the SCO Council of Heads of State from 2022 to 2023. (ANI)

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