PM Modi to Meet Chinese President Xi Jinping on August 31 During SCO Summit in Tianjin

After more than seven years, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to travel to China on August 31 to attend the annual summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) in Tianjin. On the sidelines of this key multilateral gathering, PM Modi will hold a bilateral meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, in what is being seen as a significant step toward recalibrating ties between the two Asian giants.

Modi-Xi Meeting: A Rare Diplomatic Engagement

The meeting between Modi and Xi is expected to carry high symbolic and strategic weight, given the strained relationship between New Delhi and Beijing following the Galwan Valley clashes of June 2020. According to officials, this will be the first time in seven years that Modi visits China, underscoring the importance of the dialogue in the context of shifting regional dynamics and India’s evolving foreign policy priorities.

The SCO Summit, scheduled for August 31–September 1, will bring together leaders from across Eurasia to discuss issues of regional security, trade, connectivity, and counterterrorism. India, which became a full member of the SCO in 2017 and hosted the presidency in 2022–23, has consistently advocated for strengthening economic ties while balancing security concerns in the forum.

Background: From Border Tensions to Dialogue

Relations between India and China nosedived after the deadly Galwan clashes, which marked the worst violence on the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in decades. While both nations have since undertaken disengagement from key friction points like Demchok and Depsang—finalized in October 2024—the shadow of mistrust has lingered.

PM Modi and President Xi have crossed paths on multiple occasions since Galwan, though interactions were limited. They exchanged brief greetings at the G20 Summit in Bali (2022) and later held their first substantive talks in five years at the BRICS Summit in Kazan, Russia (2024). The upcoming Tianjin meeting is thus being viewed as an attempt to resume structured dialogue and normalize bilateral relations.

Global Context: India, China, and the US Factor

PM Modi’s visit to China comes at a sensitive time for India’s global positioning. Ties with the United States have taken a downturn after President Donald Trump’s administration recently doubled tariffs on Indian goods to 50%, while also penalizing New Delhi’s continued purchases of Russian crude oil with an additional 25% duty. Against this backdrop, Modi’s outreach to China could signal New Delhi’s intent to rebalance its foreign policy strategy, avoiding overdependence on any single global power.

For Beijing, the meeting offers an opportunity to strengthen its regional leadership amid its growing partnership with Russia and increasing influence in multilateral platforms like BRICS and SCO.

SCO Summit: A High-Profile Gathering

Apart from PM Modi and President Xi, the Tianjin summit is expected to feature several prominent global leaders, including Russian President Vladimir Putin, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif, and Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu. The presence of such a diverse range of leaders highlights the SCO’s growing role as a strategic forum bridging Asia, Eurasia, and beyond.

Diplomatic observers note that the Modi-Xi bilateral talks on the sidelines will be closely watched, as they could set the tone for future India-China engagement not only bilaterally but also within the SCO framework.

Looking Ahead

PM Modi last visited China in June 2018 to attend the SCO Summit in Qingdao, while President Xi Jinping’s last visit to India was in October 2019 for the second informal summit in Mamallapuram, Tamil Nadu. The Tianjin meeting may therefore represent an opportunity to reset ties, foster economic cooperation, and address outstanding security concerns.

Whether this engagement will translate into tangible progress on border issues, trade, and regional security remains to be seen, but the significance of Modi’s return to China after seven years is already being hailed as a diplomatic milestone with far-reaching implications.