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Bishkek: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday arrived in Kyrgyzstan, where he is scheduled to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit and hold a series of bilateral meetings on the sidelines.

The prime minister was received at the airport by Kasymaliev Adylbek Aleshovich, chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers.

A traditional Kyrgyz dance performance was also held at the airport to welcome the prime minister.

“PM @narendramodi has arrived in Bishkek to participate in the 26th SCO Leadership Summit. PM was received by Mr. Adylbek Kasymaliev, Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers of Kyrgyz Republic,” Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal posted on X.

“The SCO Summit brings together ten Member States, fifteen Partner countries and two observer countries to advance dialogue and cooperation on regional and global issues,” he added.

Modi was greeted with chants of ‘Vande Mataram’ on his arrival at a hotel.

He also witnessed a vibrant yoga performance to the patriotic beats of ‘Maa Tujhe Salaam’. A Lord Shiva-themed cultural dance performance was also performed upon his arrival at the hotel.

Modi is visiting Kyrgyzstan at the invitation of President Sadyr Zhaparov to participate in the 26th SCO Summit on August 31-September 1.

The 10-member SCO is marking 25 years of the organisation.

It was founded in 2001 by China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan with India and Pakistan joining as full members in 2017, followed by Iran in 2023 and Belarus in 2024.

Modi is expected to hold bilateral meetings with SCO leaders, including with Kyrgyz President Zhaparov and Russian President Vladimir Putin, on the sidelines of the summit.

In his departure statement on Saturday, Modi said he looked forward to advancing India’s vision for the region, anchored in “security, connectivity and opportunity, and to working with fellow members for a region free from the scourge of terrorism, separatism and extremism, which continue to threaten peace and stability”.

“I also look forward to meeting President Zhaparov and other SCO leaders,” he said.

He will also attend the opening ceremony of the 6th World Nomad Games.

The prime minister said this visit will strengthen India’s strategic partnerships in Central Asia, deepen its civilisational connect with the region, and advance a shared pursuit of peace, stability and prosperity.

Modi arrived in Bishkek after a two-day trip to Uzbekistan, during which the two countries decided to elevate their ties to a comprehensive strategic partnership and set a target of USD 5 billion in annual trade by 2030. 

(This report has been published as part of the auto-generated syndicate wire feed. Apart from the headline, no editing has been done in the copy by ABP Live.)