Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Uzbekistan from August 29 to 30, followed by a visit to Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, from August 31 to September 1 to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit, the Ministry of External Affairs said.The visit comes as India and China work to improve bilateral ties, with both countries taking steps to increase people-to-people contact and cooperation.PM Modi’s Uzbekistan visit from August 29 to 30Modi will begin his diplomatic tour with a visit to Uzbekistan on August 29 and 30.The visit comes ahead of the SCO summit in Bishkek, where leaders of member countries are expected to discuss cooperation on security, trade, connectivity and other regional issues.Modi to attend SCO summit in BishkekAfter Uzbekistan, Modi will travel to Bishkek for the SCO summit from August 31 to September 1.Chinese President Xi Jinping is also expected to attend the summit. China’s Foreign Ministry said Xi will travel to Kyrgyzstan for the SCO meeting and hold talks with leaders of participating countries.The SCO includes India, China, Russia, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Belarus.Xi is expected to discuss ways to deepen cooperation within the grouping and address wider regional and international issues.India-China ties show signs of improvementThe upcoming summit comes against the backdrop of a gradual improvement in India-China relations.Modi and Xi had held talks on the sidelines of the SCO summit in Tianjin in 2025. During that meeting, both leaders noted positive momentum in bilateral ties and stressed the importance of maintaining peace and stability along the border.Since then, India and China have taken several steps aimed at improving relations, including efforts to increase people-to-people contact, facilitate travel and strengthen connectivity.SCO Development Bank also on the agendaChina has also pushed for greater economic cooperation within the SCO.At the Tianjin summit, Xi proposed the creation of an SCO Development Bank, modelled on institutions such as the BRICS New Development Bank and the Beijing-based Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank.The proposal is part of wider efforts to strengthen financial and economic cooperation among SCO members.Ajit Doval, Wang Yi discuss India-China border issueAhead of the upcoming SCO summit, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi held the 25th meeting of the Special Representatives mechanism on the India-China boundary question in Beijing.According to the Indian Embassy, the two sides discussed expanding bilateral cooperation, maintaining stability and ensuring peace and tranquillity in border areas.They also discussed making progress towards boundary delimitation while continuing work on transboundary cooperation.The Special Representatives mechanism is one of the key channels for discussions on the India-China boundary dispute, which covers a 3,488-km-long border.Xi Jinping expected to visit India for BRICS summitXi is also expected to travel to New Delhi in September for the BRICS summit, scheduled for September 12 and 13.