SCO Summit 2017: Narendra Modi meets Kazakhstan president, discusses ways to expand ties

New Delhi: India and Kazakhstan on Thursday discussed ways to expand their ties as Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a bilateral meeting with Kazakh president Nursultan Nazarbayev in Astana.

“Mr. Nursultan Nazarbayev, President of Kazakhstan met PM @narendramodi and discussed ways to expand bilateral ties,” the Prime Minister’s Office tweeted.

Mr. Nursultan Nazarbayev, President of the Republic of Kazakhstan met PM @narendramodi and discussed ways to expand bilateral ties. pic.twitter.com/S8dNSCLo6A

— PMO India (@PMOIndia) June 8, 2017

Modi arrived in Astana earlier in the day to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit on Friday, during which India is expected to be granted full membership of the group. India has an observer status at present.

Modi on Wednesday said full membership of the SCO would help India in terms of connectivity and economic and counter-terror cooperation with the Eurasian bloc.

With Pakistan also expected to be granted full membership at the SCO Summit, the two South Asian neighbours are going to be the seventh and eighth members of the organisation after China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.

On Friday, Modi is also expected to hold a bilateral meeting with Chinese president Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the summit.

However, according to external affairs ministry spokesperson Gopal Baglay, there has been no request from either side for a bilateral meeting between Modi and Pakistan prime minister Nawaz Sharif who is also in Astana for the summit.

After participating in the summit on Friday, Modi will also attend the World Exposition, which Kazakhstan is hosting this year, before returning to India.