Xi Jinping says China supports India's SCO presidency next year; PM Modi vows to make India manufacturing hub

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday extended his wishes to India for taking over the chair of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit next year and said his country will support New Delhi in organizing the SCO summit. "We will support India for its presidency next year," Jinping added. India will host the summit in 2023. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday vowed to make India a manufacturing hub despite the global supply-chain disruptions triggered by the Ukraine-Russia war and the coronavirus pandemic. He also highlighted the country's economic stability saying the country gave birth to over 100 unicorns and 70,000 start-ups.

"The world is overcoming the COVID-19 pandemic. Several disruptions occurred in the global supply chain because of the COVID pandemic and the Ukraine crisis. We want to transform India into a manufacturing hub," said.

Modi said India is focussing on a people-centric development model and has been supporting innovation in every sector.

"Today, there are more than 70,000 start-ups and over 100 unicorns in our country," added PM Modi.

He predicted India's economy will grow 7.5 percent this year.

"India's economy is expected to grow at a rate of 7.5 percent this year. I`m glad that ours is one of the fastest growing economies among the largest economies of the world," he added.

This was the first time Modi and Xi Jinping shared a stage since India and China locked horns in eastern Ladakh. The standoff resulted in a bloody hand-to-hand battle in the Galwan valley leading to the death of 20 Indian and an unspecified number of Chinese soldiers.

My remarks at the SCO Summit in Samarkand. https://t.co/6f42ycVLzq

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) September 16, 2022

Modi and Xi are in Uzbekistan's Samarkand to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit, along with those of several other nations, including Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and leaders of several central Asian countries are in attendance at the event.

PM Modi is expected to hold bilateral meetings with Putin, Uzbek President Mirziyoyev and Iranian President Raisi.