Modi Ignores Xi in Samarkand

The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation's two-day annual summit is being held in the historic city of Samarkand in Uzbekistan.

The summit is being held in person after two years, providing a rare opportunity for all its eight leaders to meet on the sidelines of the event for face-to-face talks.

On Friday, September 16, Prime Minister Narendra Damodardas Modi attended the summit along with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist party of China, and leaders of the other member States of the influential grouping.

The summit is also being attended by Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and leaders of several Central Asian countries.

It is the first time that Modi and Xi came face-to-face since the Chinese People's Liberation Army occupied Indian territory in Ladakh in April 2020.

The prime minister did not appear to acknowledge Xi nor speak with him. At least, there are no visuals of the same.

After the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in China, this is Xi's first trip abroad.

IMAGE: Modi arrives in Samarkand. Photograph: ANI Photo/PIB

IMAGE: Modi is greeted by Indian diplomats on his arrival. Photograph: ANI Photo/PIB

IMAGE: Modi arrives for the SCO summit. Photograph: Sputnik/Sergey Bobylev/Pool via Reuters

IMAGE: Modi delivers his remarks at the summit. Photograph: ANI Photo

IMAGE: Modi sat two places away from Xi and opposite Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif at the summit, which is being held in person after a gap of two years. Photograph: ANI Photo/ Arindam Bagchi Twitter

IMAGE: An extended format meeting of the heads of SCO member States. Photograph: Sputnik/Sergey Bobylev/Pool via Reuters

IMAGE: Modi, Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov, Xi and Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev before the summit begins. Photograph: Sultan Dosaliev/Kyrgyz Presidential Press Service/Handout via Reuters

IMAGE: Exactly a month from today, the Chinese Communists will hold their 20th party congress, which is expected to give Xi an unprecented third term as party general secretary. Photograph: Sputnik/Sergey Bobylev/Pool via Reuters

IMAGE: Xi raised 'questions and concerns' over the Ukraine conflict in his meeting with Putin who thanked Beijing for its 'balanced position' on the crisis.vPhotograph: Sputnik/Sergey Bobylev/Pool via Reuters

IMAGE: Modi and Xi are in the same room for the first time after the BRICS summit in November 2019. Photograph: Reuters

Photographs curated by Manisha Kotian/Rediff.com
Feature Presentation: Aslam Hunani/Rediff.com

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