SCO summit: PM Modi meets Xi Jinping in Tashkent - As it happened

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday met Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit.

23 June 2016

17:44 PM

Probed further by reporters about India's chances to secure membership in the 48-nation bloc, Swarup says: "This is a complex and delicate negotiation process. Whatever I had to say I have said all."

17:42 PM

Addressing a press conference, Swarup says that PM Modi said China should contribute to emerging consensus in Seoul where the NSG is holding a plenary where it was expected to take up India's membership application. Amid China's continued stalling, Prime Minister Narendra Modi told Chinese President Xi Jinping to judge India's application for NSG membership on its "merit". "Prime Minister Modi urged China to make a fair and objective assessment of India's application and judge it on its own merit.” 

17:40 PM

External Affairs Ministry spokesman Vikas Swarup said that PM Narendra Modi thanked Chinese President Xi Jinping for Beijing's support to India's membership of SCO. 

17:19 PM

A closer engagement with the gracious host of the SCO. PM @narendramodi meets President Islam Karimov of Uzbekistan pic.twitter.com/034Kbu2MWi

— Vikas Swarup (@MEAIndia) June 23, 2016

17:00 PM

After meeting Chinese President Xi Jinping, PM Modi meets Uzbekistan's President Islam Karimov ​.

The next bilateral meeting with President Karimov of Uzbekistan to discuss deeper bilateral cooperation. pic.twitter.com/TIKGDwpdyM

— PMO India (@PMOIndia) June 23, 2016

16:58 PM

PM Modi's meeting with China's President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of SCO summit ends.

16:20 PM

PM Modi`s meeting with Xi was his first engagement after landing at the airport, where he was received by Uzbek Prime Minister Shavkat Mirziyoyev.

16:08 PM

Uzbekistan: PM @narendramodi and President Xi Jinping meet. pic.twitter.com/cxj9JfD0z5

— PMO India (@PMOIndia) June 23, 2016

15:51 PM

Prime Minister Narendra Modi meets Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the SCO summit. The meeting will see both sides discussing India's membership with the Nuclear Suppliers Group. Beijing has stalled India's membership of the NSG on the question of New Delhi not being signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Agreement.

14:27 PM

I am confident, that my talks at the SCO Summit will strengthen our bilateral ties with the SCO nations: PM @narendramodi

— PMO India (@PMOIndia) June 23, 2016

14:26 PM

PM Shavkat Mirziyoyev welcomes PM @narendramodi to Uzbekistan. pic.twitter.com/wkUKz9QdNP

— PMO India (@PMOIndia) June 23, 2016

14:15 PM

Arrived in Uzbekistan, I am glad to visit this friendly country once again. I am looking forward to meet with leaders at the SCO Summit: PM

— PMO India (@PMOIndia) June 23, 2016

14:12 PM

The SCO summit will be held in Uzbekistan's capital Tashkent from June 23-24.

14:12 PM

Earlier in the day, Modi in a statement said: "India is glad to be a member of the SCO and looks forward to fruitful outcomes particularly in the field of economic cooperation through SCO."

14:05 PM

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday arrived in Uzbekistan to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit.