This Week in Explainers: Why Japan, China are among PM Modi’s most important visits this year

It’s a big week for Indian diplomacy, in fact, Asian diplomacy. After seven years, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is visiting Japan and China. The trip comes amid rising unease with the US over tariffs and just days after Donald Trump’s 50 per cent levies on India came into effect.

PM Modi arrived in Japan for a two-day visit on August 29, where he met his counterpart, Shigeru Ishiba, for a bilateral meeting to deepen economic and strategic ties. There was a focus on Quad and businesses in India – artificial intelligence, semiconductors, and more.

After Japan, PM Modi is travelling to China, where he is expected to host a bilateral meeting with China’s Xi Jinping and also hold talks with Russia’s Vladimir Putin. The leaders will be in Tianjin to attend the SCO Summit. Amid Trump’s trade war, India-China ties are thawing, and New Delhi appears to be pivoting more toward Russia. The US will be watching closely and might have reasons to be nervous over a new emerging global order.

All this as India is not cowering to US pressure on Russian oil despite Trump tariffs. As the levies come into effect, Indian exports and growth will be hit. But New Delhi has a plan in place to counter the levies.

PM Modi has been urging self-reliance, and India has taken big strides in defence. The Indian Navy commissioned two advanced stealth frigates, INS Udaygiri and INS Himgiri, earlier this week. Constructed in Mumbai and Kolkata, it marked the first time two frontline combat ships entered service together.

We talk about all this and more in our weekly roundup from India.

1. PM Narendra Modi had a successful visit to Japan. He acknowledged that the country was an “important partner in India’s development story” and urged investors to “come, make in India and make for the world”. There was a lot that PM Modi got done, from strengthening ties and boosting business. The big focus was on bullet trains, AI, and semiconductors.

Addressing the joint press meet with PM Ishiba.@shigeruishiba https://t.co/84iLYW7lkT

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 29, 2025

2. On Day 1 of his Japan trip, the PM visited the Shorinzan Daruma-ji Temple, where he was presented with a Daruma doll by a priest. The country’s most famous souvenir, it is said to bring good luck. The doll has an India connection. We tell you all about it.

3. The PM’s next stop is China. The prime minister will be visiting the country after seven years, and he has his plate full. A meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping is on the cards, and the PM will also attend the all-important Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit. Here’s why Modi’s visit assumes importance as India-China reset ties.

4. On August 27, Donald Trump’s 50 per cent tariffs on Indian imports came into effect. The additional 25 per cent has been slapped on the country for importing Russian oil. But what will be the impact of these levies? And which sectors will be most hit? We answer the big questions in our explainers.

5. Even as the US administration tries to arm-twist India over tariffs, the Indian government is sticking to its ground. It has a plan in place. PM Modi recently announced GST reforms. But that is not all. The Centre is also mulling a Covid-19-style relief package for exports. How will these measures offset the fallout of the taxes?

6. It’s not the first time that ties between India and the US have been uneasy. It has been threatened with sanctions and aid cuts. The harshest sanctions came in 1998 when Atal Bihari Vajpayee was the prime minister. The US opposed any international loans to the nation and banned technology transfer. After the nuclear tests in Pokran, Washington took more severe measures. We look back at that chapter in history.

7. On August 26, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh commissioned two made-in-India stealth frigates, INS Udaygiri and INS Himgiri. They are touted as a game-changer for the Indian Navy. Singh compared INS Udaygir to America’s fighter jet, calling it a “floating F-35”. Here’s why.

8. Our last story is a heartbreaking one from Greater Noida. Nikki Bhati died at her home in Sirsa village on August 21 from severe burns. It was alleged that she was murdered by her husband and in-laws over dowry. However, as the investigation unravelled, questions were raised about the cause of her death, with some reports suggesting a cylinder blast. Here’s what we know about the case.

That’s our recommendation list of stories about India that you should not miss. If you find yourself hooked to the news, you will find more such explainers here.