Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi leaves to receive one of the leaders from a neighboring country for a bilateral meeting in New Delhi, India, May 31, 2019. (MANISH SWARUP / AP)

NEW DELHI — India attaches special importance to the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) in promoting multilateral, political, security, economic and people-to-people interaction in the region, said Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a statement before leaving for Bishkek to attend SCO summit, Thursday. 

Modi will also make an official visit to the Kyrgyz Republic on Friday after the conclusion of the SCO summit

He said that India had actively participated in various SCO dialogue mechanisms since it gained full membership of SCO two years ago. 

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"We have extended full cooperation to the Chairmanship of the Kyrgyz Republic over the past year," he said, adding that "the summit is expected to discuss the global security situation, multilateral economic cooperation, people-to-people exchanges and topical issues of international and regional importance. On the sidelines of the summit, I also plan to meet several leaders bilaterally."

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In Bishkek, Modi will also make an official visit to the Kyrgyz Republic on Friday after the conclusion of the summit. 

"I am confident that my visit to the Kyrgyz Republic will further strengthen and consolidate our cooperation with the SCO member countries and with the Kyrgyz Republic," added Modi in his statement.