Samarkand, 16 September 2022 (TDI): The Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi met the President of Russia, Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit, on Friday.

Both heads of the states discussed their bilateral relations and talked about furthering India-Russia cooperation in sectors such as trade, energy, defense, and more.

Both met on the sidelines of SCO, which started on Thursday September 16, 2022, in Samarkand, Uzbekistan.

Meeting of Prime Minister Modi and President Putin

Arindam Bagchi, spokesman for the Indian Ministry of External Affairs, reported the meeting via his Twitter. He wrote that,

“Prime Minister Modi met the President Putin of Russia on sidelines of the SCO Summit in Samarkand. Reviewed our bilateral cooperation and discussed various regional and international issues, including global food & energy security, terrorism & the current situation in Ukraine.”

The two presidents are met for the first time since Russia launched conflict with Ukraine in February of this year. According to reports, the two leaders also spoke on bilateral, regional, and international matters in addition to the ongoing war.

Modi raised concerns about food, fuel, and fertilizer security issues. He told Putin that it is not an era of war anymore. He said, “I know that today’s era is not an era of war, and I have spoken to you on the phone about this.”

Putin replied to Modi. “I know about your position on the conflict in Ukraine, and I know about your concerns. We want all of this to end as soon as possible. We will keep you abreast of what is happening there.”

In spite of its continued advocacy for a diplomatic solution to the conflict, New Delhi has yet to criticize Moscow for its invasion of Ukraine on any international platform.

Also Read: SCO Summit: Prime Minister of India meets Turkish President 

The SCO

At a meeting in Shanghai in 2001, the presidents of Russia, China, the Kyrgyz Republic, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan founded the SCO. The Shanghai Cooperation Organization is an alliance in Eurasia that focuses on politics, economics, and security of SCO states.

It encompasses around 60% of Eurasia, 40% of the global population, and more than 30% of the world’s gross domestic product. In terms of both population and geographic reach, this makes it the biggest regional organization in the entire world.

The Heads of State Council (HSC), the SCO’s senior decision-making body, meets once a year to oversee operations.

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