Tashkent, June 23 (IANS): Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in the Uzbekistan capital on Thursday to attend the two-day Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit, that will kick off the process for India's absorption as a member of the grouping.

Modi is also to hold on the sidelines during the day a bilateral meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping that will see both sides discussing India's membership with the Nuclear Suppliers Group. Beijing has stalled India's membership of the NSG on the question of New Delhi not being signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Agreement.

"Arrived in Uzbekistan, I am glad to visit this friendly country once again. I am looking forward to meet with leaders at the SCO Summit," the Prime Minister tweeted.

He posted that Uzbek Prime Minister Shavkat Mirziyoyev was present at the airport to welcome him.

"I am confident that my talks at the SCO Summit will strengthen our bilateral ties with the SCO nations," Modi tweeted on arrival.