Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping are set to hold two crucial bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in Tianjin on Sunday, in what is seen as a significant step towards consolidating ties at a time of shifting global trade dynamics.
Modi, who arrives in Tianjin on Saturday evening after a two-day visit to Japan, is scheduled to meet Xi around midday on Sunday, followed by a possible second meeting before the SCO leaders gather for the official banquet, according to sources.
The interactions come as both nations face the fallout of protectionist measures by US President Donald Trump, who recently imposed a 50 per cent tariff on Indian exports and hardened his stance on Russian energy trade with New Delhi. Analysts say the India-China talks are expected to provide “a broader roadmap” for stability in bilateral relations strained by recent history but now showing signs of repair.
This will be Modi’s first visit to China in seven years and, by most accounts, the most consequential. The SCO Summit itself is being closely watched, with leaders from the 10-member grouping and nearly 20 invited foreign dignitaries attending. Russia’s President Vladimir Putin will also meet Modi during the event, drawing further global attention.
Also read: PM Modi to meet Xi Jinping in Tianjin during SCO summit
India-China relations had been at a standstill for nearly four years due to the military standoff in Eastern Ladakh. That freeze ended with the leaders’ meeting in Kazan last year during the BRICS Summit. Since then, National Security Adviser Ajit Doval and Chinese counterpart Wang Yi have held two rounds of talks on the boundary issue, injecting fresh momentum into the process of normalisation. The two sides even broached the possibility of an “early harvest” on the boundary dispute – a phrase rarely heard in the lexicon of Sino-Indian ties.
The backdrop to Modi’s visit is further complicated by Trump’s recent overtures to Pakistan, including an unprecedented luncheon for Army Chief Asim Munir after Operation Sindoor. Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is also expected to attend the Tianjin Summit, raising the stakes for regional diplomacy.
China has projected the Tianjin gathering as the largest SCO summit yet, seeking to define its success around “peace, security and development challenges” facing member states.
For New Delhi and Beijing, however, the spotlight will remain firmly on the chemistry between Modi and Xi and whether their dialogue signals a durable reset.
Follow us
