EAM S Jaishankar skips SCO Summit over health concerns, say sources; Modi-Xi hold border talks

India’s External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar was notably absent from the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit held in China, with reports and sources suggesting that the minister skipped the meeting owing to health concerns. His absence drew attention as the summit brought together top leaders from across Eurasia, but Prime Minister Narendra Modi nonetheless represented India’s key positions during his engagements, including a significant meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping.According to Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, the Modi-Xi talks were marked by a forward-looking tone, with both leaders emphasising the importance of stability in India-China relations. Reviewing the trajectory of ties since their previous meeting in Kazan last year, they acknowledged the progress achieved while agreeing that common interests outweighed differences.

Also read | Amid tariff tensions, PM Modi-Xi Jinping call for stable ties and balanced trade

“Both leaders recognised that a stable and amicable relationship is in the interest of the 2.8 billion people of the two countries,” Misri said. Border management remained central to the dialogue. PM Modi highlighted that peace and tranquillity along the frontier were essential prerequisites for the smooth development of bilateral ties. The leaders took note of recent disengagement measures at sensitive points, describing them as a positive step towards restoring normalcy. Xi and Modi also agreed that sustained efforts would be needed to ensure lasting calm in the border areas.Nonetheless, sources told CNBCTV18 that the EAM’s notable absence was primarily due to health concerns, which they did not elaborate on. Meanwhile, on the economic front, both leaders highlighted the need to correct imbalances in bilateral trade.

However, in a tweet at around 8 pm, the EAM share a post on X, urging people to tune into the PM’s MannKi Baat. He wrote:

In today’s #MannkibatPM @narendramodi highlighted the growing appreciation of Indian culture globally.

Do tune in https://t.co/9ryVYNaikM

– Dr. S. jaishankar (@drsjaishankar) August 31, 2025

Moreover, both Modi and Xi discussed mechanisms to promote policy transparency and predictability, while stressing that the Indian and Chinese economies could jointly contribute to stabilising world trade during a time of global volatility. Modi and Xi also acknowledged that cooperation between the two Asian powers was critical if the much-discussed idea of an “Asian century” was to be realised.