PM concludes 'productive' Tashkent visit

Tashkent (Uzbekistan): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday left for New Delhi from Tashkent after completing his two-day trip to Uzbekistan during which the Prime Minister held talks with several global leaders and formally joined the SCO after signing a Memorandum of Obligation. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) described the Prime Minister's visit as a 'productive visit'. "Thank you Tashkent! A short but productive visit for the SCO Summit ends as PM @narendramodi departs for India," MEA spokesperson Vikas Swarup tweeted. Prime Minister Modi earlier today also held bilateral talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of the16th Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit here. President Putin said India is a special and privileged partner, asserting that there is a long standing friendship between both the nations. Putin also welcomed India signing the Memorandum of Obligations of the SCO and looked forward to India's chairmanship of BRICS, which has grown in influence. After holding talks with Putin, Prime Minister Modi paid floral tribute at the bust of former prime minister Lal Bahadur Shastri. The Indian Prime Minister, who arrived here on Thursday on a two-day visit, also held bilateral meetings with Tajikistan President Emomali Rahmon and Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko.