SCO summit: Modi & Putin meet; discuss various matters

New Delhi: On the sidelines of the 22nd meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin met on Friday in Samarkand, IANS reported.

The Ministry of External Affairs issued a statement saying that the leaders discussed issues concerning bilateral cooperation, along with matters like energy security, global food security and availability of fertilisers in the backdrop of the current geopolitical situation.

IANS reports that the Modi-Putin meeting has significance since India has increased supplies of Russian crude oil. Now, 13 per cent of India's oil import basket is filled with Russian crude oil.

The statement further said that both the leaders appreciated the momentum in bilateral ties is kept sustained, which includes contacts at various levels.

The statement said, "President Putin expressed appreciation for Prime Minister's video message at the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok earlier this month."

In the case of the Ukraine invasion, it is learned that Prime Minister Modi urged the Russian premier for immediate termination of hostilities and deployed dialogue and diplomacy.

The statement said that the current meeting was the first between the two leaders, and it marked the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations. Both agreed to remain in touch, the statement added.