Narendra Modi holds bilateral talks with heads of SCO member countries

This handout photograph released by India's Press Information Bureau (PIB) on June 10, 2018 shows Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi (R) and President of Kyrgyzstan Sooronbay Jeenbekov meeting on the sidelines of the annual Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit, in Qingdao in China’s Shandong province.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday held separate bilateral talks with Presidents of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Mongolia on the sidelines of the SCO summit here to further strengthen India’s ties with the three resource-rich countries.

“India attaches great significance to ties with Kazakhstan. Had a wonderful meeting with President Nursultan Nazarbayev on the sidelines of the SCO Summit,” Mr. Modi said in a tweet.

Mr. Modi met Mr. Nazarbayev and invited his country to join the International Solar Alliance, an initiative announced in 2015 whose primary objective is to work for efficient exploitation of solar energy to reduce dependence on fossil fuels.

Solar alliance

“PM Narendra Modi invited Kazakhstan to join the International Solar Alliance and the President of Kazakhstan responded positively,” said Ruchi Ghanashyam, Secretary (West) in the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).

Mr. Modi also met President of Kyrgyzstan Sooronbai Jeenbekov on the sidelines of the summit.

“Glad to have met the President of Kyrgyzstan, Sooronbay Jeenbekov. We deliberated on ways to add strength to our vibrant bilateral partnership,” Mr. Modi tweeted.

He also held bilateral talks with Mongolia President Khaltmaagiin Battulga.

“Strategic partnership based on deep civilizational, historical and cultural linkages! PM Modi met the President of Mongolia Khaltmaagiin Battulga on the sidelines of SCO Summit in Qingdao,” said MEA Spokesperson Raveesh Kumar.

The Prime Minister held nearly half a dozen bilateral meetings with leaders of other SCO countries.

On Saturday, the Prime Minister had separate meetings with the President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev and Tajikistan President Emomali Rahmon on the sidelines of the summit here and discussed a range of topics with them to further strengthen India’s ties with the resource-rich Central Asian countries.

It is for the first time the Indian Prime Minister attended the SCO summit, jointly dominated by China and Russia, which has been increasingly seen as a counter to NATO.