Tianjin, Aug 30: Prime Minister Narendra Modi reached China on Saturday to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit 2025, marking his first visit to the country in seven years. Modi is visiting at the invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping, reflecting a thaw in bilateral ties that had soured after the 2020 border clashes.
His arrival comes amid international pressure over India’s continued purchase of Russian oil during the Ukraine war. U.S. President Donald Trump recently imposed an additional 25 per cent tariff on Indian goods, raising total levies to 50 per cent, in response to New Delhi’s oil imports from Moscow.
The SCO Summit will take place in Tianjin on August 31 and September 1. Modi is expected to attend a welcome banquet on Sunday, with the main leaders’ summit scheduled for Monday. India, a full SCO member since 2017, has consistently used the platform to highlight its concerns on terrorism. Modi is likely to reiterate India’s stance against cross-border militancy, especially in the aftermath of the Pahalgam terror attack and Operation Sindoor.
On the sidelines, Modi is expected to hold bilateral talks with Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin. “There will be a number of bilateral meetings on the sidelines. We are still finalising those meetings and will keep you updated,” Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said during a briefing on Modi’s visits to Japan and China.
