Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived today in Tianjin, China, for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit, marking his first visit to China since 2018 and following a bilateral visit to Japan just days earlier. His presence in Tianjin underlines a broader diplomatic outreach, especially as India navigates mounting trade tensions with the United States, where President Trump has imposed steep tariffs—up to 50% on Indian exports—as part of punitive measures linked to India’s oil dealings with Russia.
The summit, slated for August 31 to September 1 in Tianjin, is shaping up to be the largest in SCO history, with over twenty heads of state including Russian President Vladimir Putin, expected to attend. It occurs at a time when China positions itself as the convenor of Global South solidarity amid increasing geopolitical flux, a narrative that Modi’s attendance reinforces.
On the sidelines of the summit, Modi is scheduled to hold high-stakes bilateral meetings, including with China’s President Xi Jinping and Russia’s President Vladimir Putin, signaling India’s strategic balancing act between major powers in a fracturing world order . These meetings may further thaw Sino-Indian tensions that have hung over bilateral ties since border clashes in 2020, building on earlier goodwill gestures such as resumed direct flights and eased visa protocols.
Modi’s visit also carries economic weight. It follows his Japan trip, where Tokyo pledged $68 billion in investment, an appeal as India seeks diversified partnerships in the face of U.S. pressure. The SCO platform further offers oil-poor India avenues to engage with energy-rich Russia and maintain regional connectivity amid disruptions.
