Tianjin [China], August 31 (ANI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday held a bilateral meeting with Myanmar’s acting President and military chief, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit.
The two leaders held discussions ahead of the summit, which is scheduled to begin later today. They had last met in April this year on the sidelines of the BIMSTEC Summit in Bangkok.
Myanmar’s military government has recently announced that long-promised elections will be held on December 28, marking the first polls in nearly five years since a 2021 coup that ousted the elected civilian government led by Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi.
Earlier in the day, PM Modi also met Cai Qi, Member of the Standing Committee of the Politburo of the Communist Party of China. Sharing details on X, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, “PM @narendramodi met Politburo Standing Committee Member Mr. Cai Qi in Tianjin, China. Building on, and in line with, the leaders’ meeting today, they touched on bilateral economic, political and people-to-people exchanges between India and China.”
During his separate bilateral meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, Prime Minister Modi underlined the importance of peace and tranquility along the border for the continued development of bilateral relations. The two leaders expressed satisfaction over last year’s successful disengagement and the maintenance of peace since then, the MEA said in a statement.
They reaffirmed their commitment to a fair, reasonable, and mutually acceptable resolution of the boundary issue, in line with the overall political perspective of their bilateral relations and the long-term interests of both peoples. The leaders also recognized the progress made in talks between their Special Representatives earlier this month and pledged further support to those efforts.
Both sides welcomed the positive momentum in bilateral relations since their last meeting in Kazan in October 2024. They reiterated that India and China are development partners, not rivals, and emphasized that differences should not escalate into disputes. A stable relationship between the two countries, representing 2.8 billion people, was described as vital for regional growth, multipolarity in Asia, and a balanced global order.
This evening, the SCO Summit will commence at the Meijiang Convention and Exhibition Centre in Tianjin, beginning with a welcoming ceremony, a photo session, a reception, and a concert.
The SCO currently comprises 10 members: India, Belarus, China, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. India became a full member in 2017, after holding observer status since 2005.
During the summit, Prime Minister Modi is also scheduled to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin. The gathering holds significance for India as it comes shortly after the United States imposed 50 percent tariffs, including a 25 percent levy on New Delhi for its purchase of Russian crude oil. (ANI)
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