PM Modi in China: India Eyes Strategic Reset with China

PM Modi arrived in Tianjin on Saturday, marking his first visit to China in over seven years. The high-profile trip, known as the Narendra Modi China Visit 2025, is centered around the 25th Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit and carries immense geopolitical significance amid shifting global equations.

PM Modi: Warm Welcome in Tianjin

Modi touched down at Binhai International Airport, where he was greeted with a grand cultural reception. Chinese artists performed on Indian classical instruments such as the sitar, tabla, and santoor, while dancers showcased Bharatanatyam and Kathak. The Prime Minister personally praised the performers, remarking, “You did very well. We love Indian culture and art.” The welcome highlighted a softer cultural diplomacy between the two nations, despite years of border tensions.

Participation in the SCO Summit

The SCO Summit, hosted by Chinese President Xi Jinping from August 31 to September 1, 2025, brings together leaders from ten member countries, including India, China, and Russia. Discussions are expected to focus on regional security, counterterrorism, and strategies for navigating global economic turbulence. Modi emphasized the importance of the summit, posting on social media: “Landed in Tianjin, China. Looking forward to deliberations at the SCO Summit and meeting various world leaders.”

PM Modi: Key Bilateral Meetings with Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin

A pivotal part of the Narendra Modi China Visit 2025 will be Modi’s bilateral meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping. The discussions are likely to review economic ties and outline steps toward normalizing relations strained since the 2020 Galwan Valley clashes. Notably, both countries agreed in October 2024 to end the standoff at the Line of Actual Control (LAC), setting the stage for renewed engagement.

Equally important is Modi’s meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The talks are expected to focus on energy cooperation, defense, and preparations for Putin’s potential visit to India later this year. With the U.S. recently doubling tariffs on Indian exports and imposing a 25% levy on purchases of Russian crude oil, India’s engagement with Russia and China has acquired fresh strategic urgency.

Balancing Global Diplomacy Amid Strained US Ties

The visit follows President Donald Trump’s decision to impose heavy tariffs on Indian goods, a move that has strained the traditionally strong India-U.S. partnership. Against this backdrop, the Narendra Modi China Visit 2025 is seen as a carefully calibrated step to balance New Delhi’s global diplomacy. By engaging simultaneously with China and Russia, India signals its intent to diversify partnerships and safeguard its economic and strategic interests.

Context and Background

This is Modi’s first visit to China since June 2018. The trip comes on the heels of his two-day visit to Japan, where he and Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba announced a $68 billion investment plan and an Economic Security Initiative. Taken together, these back-to-back visits underscore India’s proactive role in shaping regional stability and securing economic resilience amid unpredictable U.S. trade policies.

China’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun hailed the summit as a “gathering of solidarity, friendship, and fruitful results.” Modi himself recently told The Yomiuri Shimbun that stable India-China relations could have a “positive impact on both regional and global peace.”

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