PM Modi's visit to Kyrgyzstan will boost bilateral ties between two countries: Indian Envoy

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Kyrgyzstan will boost the bilateral relationship between the two countries, India's envoy Amitabh Dimri said on Wednesday.

"Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the country will boost the relationship between both countries. The relationship is fantastic. PM Modi was here in 2015, and this is a repeat visit in four years," he said while talking to ANI.

PM Modi is scheduled to visit Bishkek to participate in the upcoming Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) in beginning June 14.

"It was a historic moment that PM Modi undertook a combined visit to all five central Asian countries and thereafter Kyrgyz president undertook a visit to India in 2016. President of Kyrgyz Republic was also a special invitee at Prime Minister's swearing-in ceremony," India's top envoy said.

Terming it as an important occasion for the bilateral relationship between India and Kyrgyzstan, he said, "We have been able to maintain a momentum of very high-level visits and exchanges and this is definitely the first significant visit outside the neighbourhood after Narendra Modi was sworn-in as Prime Minister for the second term. India and our Kyrgyz partners are very excited about the bilateral meeting."

Talking about the SCO summit, Dimri said, "We live in a global world. There are very important multilateral platforms, in which our leaders visit, travel and get engaged with each other. SCO is one of them. Significant world powers globally take initiative to have India on board on many issues. We are looking forward to his two-day visit and we expect a very positive outcome."

The Ambassador, however, refused to comment on reports that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be flying via Oman to visit the Central Asian nation rather than flying over Pakistan.

The Prime Minister is scheduled to have several bilateral engagements on the sidelines of the summit including one with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

However, no meeting is scheduled between Modi and Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan.

"To the best of my knowledge no meeting has been planned between PM Modi and Pakistan PM Imran Khan at the SCO Summit in Bishkek," MEA spokesperson Raveesh Kumar had said when asked about the possibility of meeting between Modi and Imran Khan.