Indian PM Modi Accepts Chinese Prez Xi’s Invitation for Tianjin SCO Summit Amid Shifting India-China Ties and Trump’s Tariff War
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will travel to China later this month for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in Tianjin, his first visit to the country in seven years and his first since the 2020 Galwan clashes, underscoring a tentative but notable thaw in India-China relations.
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| Image Source: PM NaMo on X |
“Glad to meet Foreign Minister Wang Yi. Since my meeting with President Xi in Kazan last year, India-China relations have made steady progress guided by respect for each other’s interests and sensitivities. I look forward to our next meeting in Tianjin on the sidelines of the SCO Summit. Stable, predictable, constructive ties between India and China will contribute significantly to regional as well as global peace and prosperity,” Modi wrote on X following the meeting.
A First in Seven Years
Modi’s last official trip to China was in June 2018 for the SCO Summit in Qingdao. His acceptance of Xi’s invitation now signals an important recalibration in bilateral ties that had sharply deteriorated following the deadly Galwan Valley clashes in June 2020.
Since then, multiple rounds of military and diplomatic talks have gradually helped restore a measure of calm along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), though frictions remain.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said the Prime Minister reiterated India’s commitment to a fair and mutually acceptable resolution of the boundary issue, underlining that constructive ties with Beijing are vital not only for the two nations but also for regional and global peace.
Border Dialogue and Diplomatic Outreach
The invitation coincided with the 24th round of Special Representatives (SRs) talks on the India-China boundary dispute, led by National Security Adviser Ajit Doval and Wang Yi.
The MEA described the talks as “comprehensive, in-depth, and productive,” with both sides stressing the importance of maintaining peace and tranquillity in border areas as the basis for advancing ties.
Doval, who had previously visited Beijing in December for the 23rd round of discussions, said ties have shown an “upward trend” since then.
“The borders have remained quiet, peace and tranquillity have prevailed, and bilateral engagements have become more substantial,” he noted.
The talks also addressed broader issues of bilateral cooperation. External affairs minister S. Jaishankar, who met Wang separately, raised India’s strong concerns over terrorism, including cross-border terrorism, and voiced unease about China’s plans to build a mega dam on the lower reaches of the Yarlung Tsangpo river, which flows into India as the Brahmaputra.
For Beijing, the resumption of the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra and India’s support for China’s presidency of the SCO Summit were highlighted as markers of progress.
Wang Yi stressed that stable and healthy ties are in the “fundamental interests of both peoples.”
The Regional Balancing Act
China’s outreach to India is unfolding alongside its simultaneous deepening of ties with Pakistan. Following his two-day visit to New Delhi, Wang will travel to Islamabad to co-chair the sixth Pakistan-China Foreign Ministers’ Strategic Dialogue with his counterpart Ishaq Dar on August 21.
Pakistan’s foreign office described the talks as part of efforts to reaffirm the “All-Weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership,” a term Beijing and Islamabad frequently invoke to underline their close alignment.
The discussions will review bilateral ties, trade cooperation, and regional security, with a focus on reaffirming support for each other’s “core interests.”
When asked whether Beijing faces a challenge balancing relationships with India and Pakistan, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said: “China is willing to conduct friendly cooperation with both countries. As for issues between them, we hope they will find proper solutions. China stands ready to play a constructive role in light of their will.”
Trade Pressures and Strategic Timing
Modi’s upcoming visit comes as India navigates intensified trade pressure from Washington. Earlier this month, Trump doubled tariffs on Indian goods from 25% to 50%, citing New Delhi’s continued import of Russian crude oil. India has defended its purchases as driven by economic necessity and price stability, rejecting U.S. claims that the imports undermine American security interests.
The tariff escalation has cast a shadow over India-U.S. trade relations even as Washington seeks to keep New Delhi aligned in its Indo-Pacific strategy.
Against this backdrop, Modi’s visit to China acquires added weight, reflecting New Delhi’s balancing act between major global powers.
China too has faced prolonged tensions with Washington, particularly over trade and technology.
The convergence of U.S. pressure on both Beijing and New Delhi creates a shared interest in maintaining pragmatic ties, even amid unresolved disputes.
SCO as a Strategic Platform
The SCO Summit in Tianjin is expected to bring together leaders from Russia, Central Asia, South Asia, and beyond, offering a platform for both bilateral and multilateral engagement.
For India, the summit is an opportunity to demonstrate its ability to maintain diplomatic space with Beijing even as it strengthens ties with the U.S., Japan, and other Quad partners.
For China, Modi’s attendance marks a diplomatic win, signaling that India is willing to re-engage at the highest political level despite lingering mistrust.
Analysts note that optics will matter as much as outcomes, with the mere image of Modi and Xi sharing a platform carrying symbolic weight.
Looking Ahead
Whether Modi’s visit heralds a deeper reset in India-China ties remains uncertain. The boundary issue continues to hang over the relationship, with New Delhi insisting that peace at the border is a prerequisite for normalcy.
Differences also remain over China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), its close ties with Pakistan, and its activities in the Indian Ocean.
Yet the cautious momentum in recent months -- from the SR-level talks to resumed pilgrimages and increasing diplomatic exchanges -- suggests that both sides see merit in avoiding renewed confrontation.
By traveling to Tianjin, Modi will send a message that India remains open to dialogue, even as it guards its red lines.
The SCO Summit may not resolve longstanding disputes but it offers a stage for India and China to recalibrate -- and for Modi to underscore that in an era of tariff wars, shifting alliances, and great power competition, India intends to keep every diplomatic channel open.