Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday set off for China to participate in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in Tianjin, beginning on Sunday, after completing a two-day visit to Japan.
The summit, scheduled for 31 August to 1 September, marks PM Modi’s first visit to China in seven years and his first since the Galwan Valley clashes along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in June 2020.
Ahead of the two-nation trip, the Prime Minister, in his departure statement, noted, “I will travel to China to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Summit in Tianjin, at the invitation of President Xi Jinping. India is an active and constructive member of the SCO. During our Presidency, we have introduced new ideas and initiated collaboration in the fields of innovation, health and cultural exchanges.”
Reaffirming India’s approach, he said the country remained committed to tackling shared challenges and advancing regional cooperation with SCO partners.
“I also look forward to meeting President Xi Jinping, President Putin and other leaders on the sidelines of the Summit,” the Prime Minister asserted.
Prime Minister Modi and Xi Jinping last held talks in 2024 during the BRICS Summit in Kazan, Russia.
A subsequent agreement on patrol arrangements along the 3,500-km LAC helped ease the four-year border standoff.
Formed in 2001, the SCO includes China, Russia, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Pakistan, Uzbekistan, Iran and Belarus as members. Afghanistan and Mongolia are observer states, while 14 countries, including Turkey, Kuwait, Nepal and Sri Lanka, participate as dialogue partners.
During his Japan stopover, PM Modi engaged in high-level talks, attended the 15th India-Japan Annual Summit, and met governors from 16 prefectures to encourage partnerships with Indian states under new initiatives.
He also travelled with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba on the Shinkansen to Sendai. There, the leaders toured Tokyo Electron Miyagi Ltd (TEL Miyagi), a major semiconductor company.
Taking to X, PM Modi posted, “PM Ishiba and I visited the Tokyo Electron Factory. We went to the Training Room, Production Innovation Lab and interacted with top officials of the company. The semiconductor sector is a key area for India-Japan cooperation.”
“In the last few years, India has made many strides in this sector. A lot of youngsters are getting associated with it as well. We seek to continue this momentum in the times to come,” the post added.
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