SCO Summit: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has reached Samarkand yesterday to attend the summit.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping did not attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) pre-conference group events, including a formal dinner on Thursday.

PM Modi was the last of the leaders to reach Samarkand.

Because of this, he kept himself away from any kind of participation in the events before the summit.

Neither of the two world leaders were seen in the informal leaders' photo released after dinner late Thursday.

Even being in Samarkand, Xi Jinping was not seen in any of the videos shared by the hosts.

Several heads of state visited the city before the summit.

The Eternal City is part of the New Tourist Complex - where the SCO Summit is to be held.

In the video, Russian President Vladimir Putin can be seen walking right in front of host Uzbekistan President Shavket Mirziyoyev.

Global leaders also participated in a tree plantation program at the venue premises.

Interestingly, President Xi Jinping planted a separate tree with the President of Uzbekistan earlier in the day, even before the mass program in the evening.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will attend the SCO summit on Friday, which will begin with a welcome and a group photo of the leaders followed by a meeting of the leaders in a restricted format.

After lunch, Prime Minister Modi will hold bilateral meetings with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Uzbekistan President Shavkat Mirziyoyev and Iranian President Ibrahim Raisi.

Only these three countries are included in the Prime Minister's bilateral meeting plan.