Tianjin (China), Aug 30 India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to attend the annual Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in Tianjin, marking his first visit to China since 2018.
The visit is seen as a chance to reset India-China ties, which have evolved through phases of engagement, caution, and recent efforts at stabilization. PM Modi was warmly received by the Indian diaspora upon arrival and is scheduled to hold a significant bilateral meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the summit.
India and China established diplomatic relations on April 1, 1950, making India the first non-socialist country to recognize the People’s Republic. Relations were deeply affected by the 1962 border conflict.
A breakthrough came with Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi’s 1988 visit, which began a gradual normalisation process. Subsequent key milestones included PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s visit in 2003, Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao’s visit in 2005, President Xi’s visit to India for a closer developmental partnership in 2014, PM Modi’s reciprocal visit to China in 2015, and informal summits in Wuhan and Chennai in 2018 and 2019.
Despite some setbacks, the two countries have maintained a robust schedule of engagements, including at multilateral sidelines like G20 Hangzhou (2016), BRICS Goa (2016), SCO Astana (2017), and G20 Bali (2022). External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi have met multiple times, underlining both sides’ interest in stabilising ties through structured dialogue and practical confidence-building measures.
China’s decision to lift longstanding restrictions on the export of fertilisers, rare earth minerals, and tunnel boring machines to India in 2025 is seen as a significant confidence-building measure aimed at reducing asymmetries and enabling targeted cooperation in non-sensitive sectors. Both sides have committed to resuming visa issuance for nationals and are currently negotiating the resumption of direct flight connectivity between major cities.
In addition to his engagement with Xi Jinping, PM Modi will also meet Russian President Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of the SCO Summit, discussing issues like the ongoing conflicts in Ukraine, Gaza, and global economic stability amid lingering effects of Trump-era tariffs.
