No word yet on Modi-Xi meeting at SCO

The Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit on 15 and 16 September in Samarkand, Uzbekistan —the first in-person meeting of the world’s largest regional organization—is being closely watched by analysts for China’s and Russia’s response to the emerging world order, and for a clutch of significant one-on-one meetings on sidelines. However, there’s no word yet on a bilateral meeting between PM Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping.

The recent decision by India and China to pull back troops from patrolling point-15 at Hot Springs has fuelled intense speculation about the possibility of the first face-to-face bilateral meeting between Modi and Xi in nearly three years, though both countries have not officially said anything on this issue. Modi and Xi are set to be in same room for at least two sessions at the summit. While an exchange of pleasantries between the two leaders isn’t being ruled out, people familiar with the matter said there was no word yet on a structured bilateral meeting.

Former ambassador Vishnu Prakash said: “With the borders still alive, PM is likely to meet Xi only if some agreement on restoring status quo ante is in hand or if the Chinese side seeks it.”