On August 30, 2025, Prime Minister Narendra Modi landed in Tianjin, China, to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit—his first visit since 2018. The summit, scheduled for August 31 to September 1, marks a significant reset in India China ties, strained by the 2020 border clashes.

Modi is expected to hold high-profile bilateral dialogues with both Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin an event underscoring strategic balancing amid global volatility.

Against a backdrop of mounting U.S. tariffs and geopolitical re-alignments, India’s participation sends a message of multilateral stability and Global South solidarity as China positions the SCO as a counterweight to Western influence.

Although major breakthroughs are unlikely, the trip has significant symbolic value— signaling diplomatic outreach, easing regional tension, and preparing the ground for deeper cooperation on trade, security, and infrastructure.