Prime Minister Narendra Modi returned to New Delhi on Monday night, concluding a four-day Japan and China visit that lasted from August 29 to September 1.
During his visit to China, PM Modi attended the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit on August 31-September 1 and engaged in bilateral talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Terming the visit "productive" on an X post, PM Modi pointed out that he had underscored India's stand on crucial issues of the world during his talks.
"Concluding a productive visit to China, where I attended the SCO Summit and interacted with various world leaders. Also emphasised India's stand on key global issues. Thankful to President Xi Jinping, the Chinese government and people for the successful organisation of this Summit," he wrote.
While speaking with President Putin, PM Modi emphasized that New Delhi and Moscow's cooperation is essential for peace, stability, and prosperity in the world. At the 25th SCO Summit in Tianjin, he also emphasized the need for more substantial action against terror funding and radicalization. Referring to the Pahalgam terror attack, he requested the SCO to bring nations that practice or sponsor cross-border terrorism under book and congratulated Kyrgyzstan on becoming the SCO president.
The Summit had in-depth exchanges on the SCO Development Strategy, Reform of Global Governance, Counter-Terrorism, Peace and Security, Economic and Financial Cooperation, and Sustainable Development. In his address to the gathering, PM Modi described India's approach towards improving cooperation under the SCO, emphasizing action on three pillars: Security, Connectivity, and Opportunity.
On Sunday, he met with Chinese President Xi Jinping in bilateral talks on the sidelines of the SCO Summit. They both hailed the recent positive trend in India-China relations since their last meeting in Kazan at the BRICS Summit in October 2024. They renewed that India and China are development partners, not competitors, and agreed that differences should never be allowed to become disputes. Both emphasised the need for a stable relationship based on mutual respect, interest, and sensitivity, which is essential for national growth and for a multipolar Asia in the 21st century.
PM Modi also interacted with a series of world leaders at the SCO Summit reception in Tianjin, greeting leaders from Central Asia, Southeast Asia, and Eurasia. He emphasized India's dedication to strengthening cooperation in various fields with leaders from the Maldives, Nepal, Laos, Vietnam, Armenia, and Turkmenistan.
Earlier, PM Modi had gone to Japan from August 29-30 to visit Tokyo for the 15th India-Japan Annual Summit. He complimented the success of the Tokyo visit and wished that India-Japan relations would only soar higher in the days to come.
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