Strategic communication with Beijing has improved, says PM Narendra Modi after meeting Chinese President Xi Jingping

BISHKEK: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday met Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Kyrgyzstan during which the prime minister talked about relationship between the two countries and said that New Delhi's strategic communication with China has improved.

PM Modi mentioned Wuhan informal summit during his meet with President Xi and said there has been "Improvement in strategic communication" between the two countries since the summit that happened last year which led to "sensitivities towards each others concern". He said, Wuhan provided "stability and momentum" to India-China ties.

During the meeting, PM Modi wished Chinese President Xi Jinping happy birthday. The Chinese leader celebrates his birthday on June 15. On the other hand, Xi congratulated PM Modi for his re election. It may be recalled that Xi had written a letter congratulating PM Modi after the declaration of Lok Sabha election results on May 23.

This was the first meeting of the two leaders after the listing of Masood Azhar as an international terrorist. The Chinese president is also scheduled to visit India later this year for the second informal summit.

Earlier in the day, PM arrived in Kyrgystan and avoided Pakistani airspace. The prime minister's made use of the airspace of Oman, Iran, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan to reach Bishkek. This is the first multilateral summit that PM Modi is attending after 2019 Lok Sabha election.

On Friday, PM Modi is scheduled to participate at the SCO meet in the morning and he will also meet Iran's President Hassan Rouhani and Kyrgyzstan's President Sooronbay Jeenbekov separately. It is highly unlikely that PM Modi will meet his Pakistani counterpart Imran Khan even on the sidelines of SCO summit.