PM Modi Arrives in Tianjin: India Balances China Engagement, Japan Partnership, and US Tariff Pressure Ahead of Prez Putin Meeting
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi landed in Tianjin, China, on Saturday to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit hosted by President Xi Jinping. The gathering brings together more than 20 heads of state and leaders of 10 international organisations, making it one of the most significant diplomatic events of the year.
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| Image Source: PM NaMo |
On social media, Modi said he was “looking forward to deliberations at the SCO Summit and meeting various world leaders.” China’s Ambassador to India, Xu Feihong, welcomed Modi’s arrival, expressing confidence that the visit would “inject new momentum into China–India relations.”
Members of the Indian community in Tianjin also extended a special welcome to the Prime Minister upon his arrival.
The summit is unfolding against the backdrop of heightened geopolitical tensions. President Donald Trump’s administration has imposed sweeping tariffs, including a 50 per cent duty on Indian goods in response to New Delhi’s continued imports of Russian oil.
Trump has also threatened China with similar penalties while simultaneously presenting himself as a potential broker of peace in the Ukraine conflict.
Modi, who spoke by phone with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy earlier in the day, reaffirmed India’s support for all efforts aimed at securing a ceasefire and peaceful resolution.
His upcoming meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of the SCO has drawn significant attention, with Moscow expected to host Modi for a state visit in December.
在天津，得到来自中国各地印度侨民热情而特别的欢迎。以下是一些精彩瞬间。 pic.twitter.com/CavM0izOyZ
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 30, 2025
The SCO, founded in 2001 by China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan, has grown into a major Eurasian bloc with a mandate ranging from joint counterterrorism and intelligence sharing to trade, energy, and education cooperation.
Its stated goal of promoting a “just” international order is widely seen as shorthand for supporting a multipolar world not dominated by any single power.
Confirmed attendees in Tianjin include Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, and Central Asian leaders, alongside delegations from observer and partner states such as Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, and Turkey.
India’s participation at this year’s summit carries layered significance. Just a day earlier, in an interview with Yomiuri Shimbun in Tokyo, Modi had said that India and China, as two major Asian economies, must “work together to bring stability to the global economic order” amid volatility caused by tariffs and supply chain disruptions.
He also emphasised the need for engagement from a “strategic and long-term perspective,” reflecting New Delhi’s intent to stabilise ties with Beijing after years of strain since the 2020 Galwan Valley clashes.
At the same time, Modi’s visit to Tokyo underscored India’s parallel strategy of deepening its “Special Strategic and Global Partnership” with Japan.
The summit there produced landmark agreements on green energy, artificial intelligence, space exploration, and mobility, alongside an investment pledge of ¥10 trillion ($67 billion).
Strategically, the timing of those announcements ahead of Modi’s arrival in China sent a message that India is building strong ties with Tokyo even as it re-engages with Beijing.
抵达中国天津，期待在上海合作组织峰会期间展开深入讨论，并与各国领导人会晤。 pic.twitter.com/vs59dukMND
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 30, 2025
For Indian policymakers, this dual-track diplomacy -- working with both China and Japan while responding to U.S. tariff pressure -- reflects the need to balance relationships in an increasingly fragmented global order.
By sitting alongside Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin in Tianjin, Modi signals India’s commitment to Eurasian multilateralism. By striking new deals with Japan, he underscores India’s Indo-Pacific partnerships built on technology, capital, and democratic convergence. Together, the moves are designed to state India’s autonomy and strategic flexibility in a volatile geopolitical climate.