Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Chinese President Xi Jinping in Tianjin on Sunday, August 31, ahead of the SCO Summit, affirming India’s commitment to advancing bilateral ties. Modi highlighted progress since last year’s Kazan meeting, noting peaceful borders after disengagement, the resumption of the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra, and the restart of direct flights.
National Security Adviser Ajit Doval was also present during the high-level talks in Tianjin.
The dialogue revolved around stabilising India–China ties, particularly in the economic sphere, after years of turbulence stemming from border tensions in eastern Ladakh.Modi arrived in China on Saturday (August 30), marking his first visit to the country in over seven years.
Modi last travelled to China in 2018 for the SCO Summit, while Xi visited India in 2019 for an informal summit.
The trip, centred around the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in Tianjin on August 31 and September 1, carries added weight amid strained India–US relations linked to US President Donald Trump’s trade and tariff policies.
Before his arrival from Japan — the first stop of his two-nation tour — Modi underscored the need for cooperation with Beijing, telling Japanese daily The Yomiuri Shimbun that India and China, as two major economies, must work together to help stabilise the world economic order.
He added that a stable and predictable relationship could contribute positively to peace and prosperity across the region.
The visit follows a gradual thaw in relations between New Delhi and Beijing.
Earlier in August, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi held talks in India with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and National Security Adviser Ajit Doval, leading to a set of confidence-building measures. These included commitments to maintain peace along contested border areas, resume cross-border trade, and restart direct flights.
India and China have taken steps in recent months to recalibrate ties after the deadly 2020 Galwan Valley clashes. The prolonged stand-off in eastern Ladakh formally ended last October with disengagement from the last remaining friction points.
Russian President Vladimir Putin also arrived at Tianjin on Sunday, August 31.
First Published: Aug 31, 2025 10:07 AM IS
