Modi meets Putin on margins of SCO Summit in Samarkand

Samarkand, September 16, 2022

Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Russian President Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit here today and discussed with him various issues of bilateral cooperation as well as regional and global issues of interest.

A press release from the Prime Minister's Office said the leaders appreciated the sustained momentum in bilateral ties, including contacts at various levels.

President Putin expressed appreciation for the Prime Minister’s video-message at the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok earlier this month.

The discussions between the two leaders also covered global food security, energy security and availability of fertilizers in the context of the challenges emanating from the current geo-political situation.

In the context of the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, Prime Minister Modi reiterated his call for an early cessation of hostilities and the need for dialogue and diplomacy.

This was the first meeting of both leaders this year, which marks the 75th anniversary year of establishment of diplomatic relations.

They agreed to remain in touch, the release added.

Earlier, Modi held a bilateral meeting with his host, Uzbekistan President Shavkat Mirziyoyev.

This is a special year for the two countries as it marks the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations. The leaders appreciated the overall progress in bilateral relations, including the implementation of decisions of the Virtual Summit in December 2020.

The two leaders touched upon priority areas of bilateral cooperation, particularly trade, economic cooperation and connectivity. They stressed the need to make concerted efforts to diversify the trade basket and enter into long-term arrangements to promote trade and investment. Connectivity was considered key to unlock the potential in this regard, including greater usage of the Chabahar port and the International North South Transport Corridor.

The leaders emphasized cooperation in fields like information technology, healthcare, higher education, and so on, based upon India’s developmental experience and expertise. Opening of Indian educational institutions and partnership between Uzbek and Indian universities was welcomed, the release said.

Regional issues, including Afghanistan, were discussed. The leaders were unanimous in their view that the territory of Afghanistan should not be used for terrorist activities.

The leaders attached great importance to the outcomes of the First India-Central Asia Summit held in January this year. They acknowledged the progress being made in the implementation of the Summit decisions.

The Prime Minister congratulated President Mirziyoyev for excellent organization of the SCO Summit and Uzbekistan’s successful chairmanship.

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