PM Modi holds bilateral talks

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday held separate bilateral talks with presidents of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Mongolia on the sidelines of the SCO summit here to further strengthen India's ties with the three resource-rich countries.

India attaches great significance to ties with Kazakhstan. Had a wonderful meeting with President Nursultan Nazarbayev on the sidelines of the SCO Summit, Modi said in a tweet. Modi met Nazarbayev and invited his country to join the International Solar Alliance, an initiative announced in 2015 whose primary objective is to work for efficient exploitation of solar energy to reduce dependence on fossil fuels.

Modi also met President of Kyrgyzstan Sooronbai Jeenbekov on the sidelines of the summit.

"Glad to have met the President of Kyrgyzstan, Sooronbay Jeenbekov. We deliberated on ways to add strength to our vibrant bilateral partnership," Modi tweeted.

He also held bilateral talks with Mongolia President Mongolia Khaltmaagiin Battulga.

"Strategic partnership based on deep civilizational, historical and cultural linkages! PM Modi met the President of Mongolia Khaltmaagiin Battulga on the sidelines of SCO Summit in Qingdao," said MEA Spokesperson Raveesh Kumar.

Modi held nearly half a dozen bilateral meetings with leaders of other SCO countries,reports PTI.