SCO summit: PM Modi, Xi meet today in Tianjin as India-China ties move toward step-by-step repair

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is all set to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping around noon local time on Sunday (Aug 31), ahead of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Tianjin, about 120 km from Beijing.

As India and China work to repair ties after a five-year military standoff along the Line of Actual Control in eastern Ladakh, this is one such step at a time giving boost to biletral ties.

The meeting comes less than 10 months after their last encounter in Kazan, Russia, during the BRICS summit in October 2024. It signals a push to strengthen bilateral ties, with Delhi aiming for a “step-by-step” stabilisation of the relationship.

The leaders are expected to endorse a calendar of activities marking the 75th anniversary of India-China relations, with last-minute diplomatic discussions continuing on Saturday.

Modi flew to Tianjin from Japan — his first visit to China in seven years — for the SCO summit from August 31 to September 1. “Landed in Tianjin, China. Looking forward to deliberations at the SCO Summit and meeting various world leaders,” he posted on X, highlighting the multilateral summit as the main focus.

Indian officials have been careful not to present the meeting with Xi as a major bilateral event. For Delhi, it is primarily a multilateral summit, and a bilateral meeting with the host leader is standard protocol.

However, global developments, particularly tensions in India-US ties following US President Donald Trump’s announcement of 50% tariffs on India and criticism over India’s import of Russian oil, have added complexity. Against this backdrop, Delhi hopes the visit will help move India-China relations forward.

Ahead of the meeting, China’s military said both countries should jointly safeguard peace and tranquility along the border, following a recent “positive” and “constructive” round of talks that produced a 10-point consensus.

On August 19 in Delhi, Special Representatives NSA Ajit Doval and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi held the 24th Round of Talks on the India-China Boundary Question.