PM Modi China visit 2025: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to visit China from August 31 to September 1 to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit,as reported on Wednesday. The summit will be hosted in Tianjin, and the visit marks Modi’s first trip to China since 2019, and the first since the Galwan Valley clashes of 2020. This high-level diplomatic engagement signals a possible thaw in bilateral ties between the two Asian giants, which have remained strained since the deadly border standoff in eastern Ladakh.
The visit comes against the backdrop of continued tensions between India and China over border disputes in eastern Ladakh and the broader Indo-Pacific region. It is being closely watched by global and regional players, especially as the two Asian powers look to manage strained ties while engaging through multilateral platforms. The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Summit, expected to be hosted in Beijing, will bring together leaders from eight member countries, including Russia, Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Iran, which recently gained full membership.
Modi-Xi Jinping Meeting on the Cards?
PM Modi’s China visit could pave the way for a rare in-person meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, the first since the Galwan Valley clashes of 2020. While both leaders have crossed paths at other global summits, no formal bilateral talks have been held since then. Though there has been no official announcement, talks between PM Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping, and Russian President Vladimir Putin are on the cards on the sidelines of the summit.
India-China Relations: From Galwan to Gradual Engagement
India-China relations have taken a sharp turn for the worse after the May 2020 Galwan confrontation, during which 20 Indian troops were killed. China also lost troops, although the numbers are not publicly disclosed. The violent confrontation marked the lowest point in bilateral ties in decades. Since then, the two sides have held military and diplomatic talks to ease tensions along the border areas. Over the past few months, there have been indications of de-escalation:
•Reopening of direct air links between India and China
•Decision to resume the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra for Indian pilgrims
•Proposals to ease visas and share information on transboundary rivers
•India recently announced it to restore tourist visas for Chinese citizens
SCO Summit 2025: Strategic Importance
The SCO Summit in Tianjin will witness leaders of all eight member countries — India, China, Russia, Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, and Iran, which has just become a full member. India, a member since 2017, has employed the platform to raise issues regarding cross-border terrorism, notably from Pakistan, and to promote regional connectivity respectful of sovereignty, an outright denunciation of China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).
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The forthcoming summit shows a focus on India’s strategic diplomacy, keeping active engagement with multilateral formations such as the SCO, while intensifying relationships with the US-led Indo-Pacific groupings such as the Quad (India, Japan, Australia, US). Following this, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar have been an active part of the SCO defence and foreign ministers’ meetings in the early part of this year. Jaishankar also met President Xi in Beijing on a preparatory visit, stressing the necessity of leadership-led dialogue to restore normalcy in relations.
The summit is expected to focus on major regional issues like:
•Regional security and counter-terrorism cooperation
•Restoration of stability in Afghanistan
•Multilateral trade and energy cooperation
•Stride towards a multipolar world order
•Connectivity projects in Eurasia
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India is likely to reiterate its opposition to China’s Belt and Road Initiative, particularly its Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) corridor, raising sovereignty issues. PM Modi’s visit signals a diplomatic breakthrough and renewed efforts to normalize ties with China, even as India continues to safeguard its strategic and territorial interests.