Xi Jinping, Narendra Modi and Shigeru Ishiba (Image/Agencies)

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to visit Japan after receiving invitation from Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba. He will later travel to China to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in Tianjin.He will travel to both nations from August 29 to September 1 and participate in key diplomatic engagements and multilateral summits.During the first leg of his visit, PM Modi will travel to Japan from August 29-30 and attend the 15th India-Japan Annual Summit. This will mark his eighth visit to Japan and his first summit with Prime Minister Ishiba. The two leaders will also review the Special Strategic and Global Partnership between India and Japan, including defence and security, trade and economy, technology and innovation and people-to-people exchanges. They will also discuss issues of regional and global importance, reaffirming the longstanding friendship between the two nations.In the second leg of his visit, PM Modi will travel to China from August 31 to September 1 upon the invitation of President Xi Jinping to attend the SCO Summit. China has described the summit as the largest in the bloc’s history, with 20 world leaders, including PM Modi, expected to participate. On the sidelines of the summit, PM Modi is expected to hold bilateral meetings with several leaders.India has been a member of the SCO since 2017 and held the presidency of the Council of Heads of State during 2022-23. Earlier this week, Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi formally conveyed the invitation for the SCO Summit to PM Modi on behalf of President Xi, which the prime minister accepted, highlighting the importance of the summit for regional cooperation and dialogue.