Tianjin (China)– Prime Minister Narendra Modi received a warm and enthusiastic welcome from the Indian community upon his arrival in Tianjin, China, on Saturday evening, local time. The Prime Minister is in China to attend the two-day Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit, which begins on Sunday.
Upon his arrival, PM Modi was greeted with vibrant cultural performances, as well as chants of “Vande Mataram” and “Bharat Mata ki Jai,” underscoring the excitement and pride of the Indian diaspora in China.
Sharing the memorable moment on his social media platform X, PM Modi expressed his gratitude, saying, “China’s Indian community accorded a very special welcome in Tianjin.”
The Prime Minister had traveled to Tianjin from Tokyo, where he had concluded his visit to Japan earlier in the day, before landing at the Binhai International Airport in Tianjin. Following his arrival, PM Modi posted on X, “Landed in Tianjin, China. Looking forward to engaging in in-depth discussions during the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit and meeting with leaders from various countries.”
According to India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), this visit underscores India’s proactive and constructive role in the SCO. During the summit, PM Modi is expected to hold several crucial bilateral meetings with world leaders. Notably, he is scheduled to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Sunday and Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday.
This will be the first meeting between PM Modi and President Xi Jinping since their discussion at the 2024 BRICS Summit in Kazan, Russia. The breakthrough in bilateral talks followed a recent agreement between India and China regarding patrolling along the nearly 3,500-km Line of Actual Control (LAC), marking a significant step after the four-year-long border confrontation.
India has been a member of the SCO since 2017, having presided over the Council of Heads of State in 2022-23. In his departure statement, PM Modi highlighted India’s active role within the SCO, emphasizing collaboration in areas like innovation, health, and cultural exchanges. “I remain committed to working with SCO members to address shared challenges and deepen regional cooperation,” he said.
The SCO, established in 2001 in Shanghai, consists of China, Russia, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Pakistan, Uzbekistan, Iran, and Belarus. It also includes Afghanistan and Mongolia as observer states, alongside 14 dialogue partners, including Turkey, Kuwait, Azerbaijan, and Nepal. (Source: IANS)
