Modi heads to Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan; meeting with Putin on the cards

Prime Minister Narendra Modi embarks on a four-day visit to Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan this Saturday, with a significant focus on regional security and bilateral engagements.

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A meeting is scheduled between both the leaders of India and Russia on the sidelines of the summit.

In Uzbekistan, Modi will attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit from August 29-30 at the invitation of President Shavkat Mirziyoyev. This visit marks Modi's fourth trip to Uzbekistan, where he is expected to strengthen the bilateral strategic partnership. Discussions will cover cooperation in trade, investment, defense, digital connectivity, energy, education, and people-to-people ties. He will also visit the Lal Bahadur Shastri memorial and the Mahatma Gandhi Centre in Tashkent.

The SCO Summit, celebrating its 25th anniversary, will convene in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, on August 31. The summit is anticipated to address the evolving security landscape of the region. Key leaders, including Chinese President Xi Jinping, Russian President Vladimir Putin, and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, are expected to participate. Modi's address will highlight India's priorities: security, connectivity, and opportunity.

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the two leaders were expected to review the entire gamut of the India-Russia relationship.

A key highlight of the visit will be a scheduled meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of the SCO Summit. This meeting will review the entirety of the India-Russia relationship. External affairs minister S. Jaishankar recently visited Moscow, underscoring the ongoing diplomatic engagement between the two nations.

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the SCO was established with the primary goal of countering terror, separatism and extremism, which remain a challenge

During his trip to Kyrgyzstan, Modi is also slated to attend the opening of the sixth World Nomad Games, an event celebrating the cultural heritage of Central Asia. The SCO, established to counter terror, separatism, and extremism, admitted India as a full member in 2017. The ministry noted that these challenges remain significant.

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Modi will highlight India’s priorities such as security, connectivity and opportunity