This is what Modi said before departing for SCO summit in Uzbekistan

Indian prime minister Narendra Modi on Thursday (15) said he will discuss regional as well as global issues and expansion of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) during the summit which kicked off in Samarkand in Uzbekistan, one of the grouping's members, the same day.

In a departure statement, the prime minister said he will exchange views on deepening of multifaceted cooperation within the SCO which also includes countries such as Russia, China, and Pakistan, besides some of the central Asian republics.

“At the SCO Summit, I look forward to exchanging views on topical, regional and international issues, the expansion of SCO and on further deepening multifaceted and mutually beneficial cooperation within the Organisation,” he said.

The Indian prime minister also said that he is visiting Samarkand at the invitation of Uzbek president Shavkat Mirziyoyev to attend the meeting of the council of the heads of state of the grouping. He said he was looking forward to meeting the Uzbek president and said the latter had come to India as a guest of honour at the Vibrant Gujarat Summit in 2019.

"In addition, I will hold bilateral meetings with some of the other leaders attending the summit,” Modi said.

Modi was set to leave for Uzbekistan for the summit on Thursday evening.

He will be at the host nation for a day during which he is expected to hold bilateral talks on the sidelines, Indian foreign secretary Vinay Kwatra said in a news briefing.

The Indian side was yet to officially confirm on Modi's bilateral meetings in Samarkand.