India and Turkey review regional and global events on sidelines of SCO summit

On Friday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the President of Turkey, and discussed regional and global events on the sidelines of the 22nd Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Uzbekistan’s Samarkand city. According to a press release from the Ministry of External Affairs, the two leaders noted the potential for further expansion of economic and commercial linkages, while recognising the rise in economic connections in recent years, notably bilateral trade. Furthermore, the two parties addressed the ties between India and Turkey.  

Additionally, taking to Twitter, the Prime Minister’s office said, “The two leaders discussed ways to deepen bilateral cooperation in diverse sectors”.  

Besides this, they reviewed regional and international issues. According to the release, both leaders committed to keeping in touch frequently, not simply to discuss bilateral matters but also to advance the interests of the area. 

First in-person SCO Summit after COVID pandemic

It is pertinent to mention that this summit is the first SCO Summit to take place in person since the COVID pandemic struck the globe. In June 2019, the SCO Heads of State Summit took place for the last time in person in Bishkek. Uzbekistan presided over the SCO 2022 summit, while India will take over as the group's next chair. 

India was also congratulated by Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping on obtaining the SCO presidency for the next year. 

Further, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chinese President Xi Jinping, Russian President Vladimir Putin, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, and other leaders gathered for a group photograph before the summit. 

Moreover, during the summit on Friday, Chinese President Jinping shook hands with PM Modi. Notably, this is considered to be the first handshake between the two world leaders since conflict broke between the two countries along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) two years ago, as per media reports.  

Apart from the Turkish President, PM Modi conducted meetings with Russian President Putin and the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Shavkat Mirziyoyev.  

Meanwhile, the leaders of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) decided during the summit to name Varanasi, in India, as the organization's first-ever tourism and cultural capital for 2022–2023. The Indian city is noteworthy for its long-standing cultural ties to the SCO Member States, particularly the Central Asian Republics.  

(Image: Twitter/ @PMOIndia)