Chinese President Xi Jinping today welcomed Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Summit in Qingdao.

The second day of the 18th SCO summit commenced with a welcome ceremony and a group photo of leaders of the eight SCO member-states.

A restricted session is then scheduled which is to be attended only by the SCO members. 

Thereafter, a plenary session will take place following signing ceremony and a joint press conference.

It is for the first time the Indian prime minister will be attending the SCO Summit after India along with Pakistan became a full-fledged members of the grouping, which has been increasingly seen as a counter to NATO.

 

The SCO was founded at a summit in Shanghai in 2001 by the presidents of Russia, China, Kyrgyz Republic, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.