Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to visit China from August 31 to September 1 for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Tianjin, marking his first official visit to the country in over seven years. During the summit, Modi is expected to hold bilateral meetings with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin, according to official announcements from the Indian Ministry of External Affairs.
The visit follows a period of sustained diplomatic engagement between India and China, with both sides taking steps to stabilize ties that have been strained since the 2020 border standoff in eastern Ladakh. The last in-person meeting between Modi and Xi took place on the sidelines of the BRICS summit in Kazan in October 2024, where both leaders discussed measures to ease tensions and restore confidence between their militaries along the Line of Actual Control.
In recent months, diplomatic and security-level contacts have increased between New Delhi and Beijing. National Security Advisor Ajit Doval held talks with senior Chinese officials, and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi visited India earlier this year. Both countries have resumed direct commercial flights, eased visa protocols, and initiated discussions on lifting trade restrictions imposed during the pandemic and subsequent border tensions. India has also signaled interest in revisiting the stalled Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership talks, though no formal position has been announced.
The SCO summit in Tianjin will bring together leaders from eight member states, including Russia, China, Pakistan, and several Central Asian republics. The agenda includes discussions on regional security, trade cooperation, counterterrorism initiatives, and infrastructure development. India, which became a full SCO member in 2017, has consistently used the forum to highlight issues related to regional connectivity and the fight against cross-border terrorism.
Modi’s China visit part of broader diplomatic strategy
Under Prime Minister Modi’s leadership, India has expanded its global diplomatic outreach, enhancing strategic ties with both traditional partners and emerging economies. His foreign policy initiatives have included hosting the G20 summit in New Delhi in 2023, securing India’s presidency of the SCO in 2024, and reinforcing trilateral platforms like the India–Japan–Australia security dialogue. Modi has met with more than 125 world leaders over the past decade, pursuing a strategy focused on economic partnerships, regional stability, and energy security.
His state visits and multilateral engagements have elevated India’s international profile across the Indo-Pacific, Middle East, and Africa. India’s growing economic influence has further positioned the country as a major global power. With a GDP exceeding $3.7 trillion, India recently surpassed Germany to become the world’s third-largest economy in terms of purchasing power parity. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has projected India to grow at 6.8 percent in 2025, outpacing all other major economies. Foreign direct investment inflows reached a record $85 billion in 2024, driven by the government’s focus on infrastructure development, digital innovation, and manufacturing under the Make in India initiative.
These developments have reinforced PM Modi’s long-term vision of transforming India into a leading voice in global governance and multilateral institutions. Modi’s meeting with Xi comes amid a broader shift in India’s foreign policy calendar, with New Delhi engaging in high-level discussions with multiple Asian partners following the recent imposition of U.S. tariffs on Indian goods. The Modi government has sought to strengthen strategic and economic ties with key Asian economies, including Japan, which has committed to invest $68 billion in India over the next decade under various bilateral frameworks.
Modi strengthens India’s strategic influence in Asia
The meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin is also scheduled to take place on the sidelines of the SCO summit. India and Russia continue to maintain a longstanding defense and energy partnership, with ongoing cooperation in areas such as civil nuclear energy, crude oil imports, and defense procurement. Both leaders last met in person at the BRICS summit, and the upcoming discussion is expected to include follow-ups on agreements signed during that event.
While the visit to China is Modi’s first since the Wuhan informal summit in 2018, it follows multiple high-level interactions between Indian and Chinese delegations in recent months. Diplomatic exchanges have emphasized managing differences through dialogue and maintaining peace along contested border areas. The two nations have conducted several rounds of corps commander-level meetings aimed at disengagement and de-escalation in sensitive sectors. The timing of the summit comes as India continues to focus on regional diplomacy and multilateral engagement.
The Ministry of External Affairs confirmed that Modi’s participation in the SCO summit reflects India’s commitment to regional cooperation through established platforms. PM Modi’s delegation will include External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, NSA Ajit Doval, and senior officials from the Ministry of Commerce and the Ministry of Defence. Modi’s visit to China is being closely monitored by diplomatic observers, given its potential to impact the trajectory of India-China relations and regional alignment within the SCO framework. Official readouts from bilateral meetings are expected following the conclusion of the summit on September 1. – By MENA Newswire News Desk.