PM Modi, Kazakh President discuss ways to expand bilateral ties

Astana: Prime Minister Narendra Modi today called on Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev here and discussed ways to expand bilateral ties.

He met Nazarbayev soon after arriving here on a two-day visit during which he will attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit where India and Pakistan will be inducted as full members of the bloc.

"Mr. Nursultan Nazarbayev, President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, met PM @narendramodi and discussed ways to expand bilateral ties," the Prime Minister's Office tweeted.

"I look forward to deepening India's association with the SCO which will help us in economic, connectivity and counter- terrorism cooperation, among other things," Prime Minister Modi said ahead of his visit here.

The Prime Minister will address the SCO Summit tomorrow and is expected to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping amid growing differences between the two countries over a host of issues.

There is also speculation about a possible meeting between Modi and Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to ease the growing tension between the two neighbours.