Prime Minister Narendra Modi will travel to China for the first time in more than seven years to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Tianjin, where he will hold separate bilateral meetings with Chinese President Xi Jinping on August 31 and Russian President Vladimir Putin on September 1.
The visit comes at a sensitive moment for India, which is grappling with economic strains triggered by fresh U.S. tariffs on Indian goods. Washington has also expressed unease over New Delhi’s continued imports of discounted Russian oil despite the ongoing Ukraine conflict. Indian exporters have warned of potential supply chain disruptions and shrinking overseas sales, while New Delhi has sought consultations at the World Trade Organisation to challenge the U.S. measures.
Ties with China remain fragile following the deadly Galwan Valley clashes in 2020, though both sides have since agreed to disengage from several friction points along the Line of Actual Control. Military deployments remain heavy, but cautious diplomacy has produced a gradual thaw, paving the way for Modi’s first China visit since his informal summit with Xi in Wuhan in 2018.
The meeting with President Putin carries equal weight. Facing Western sanctions, Russia is eager to reinforce its traditional partnership with India while deepening ties with Beijing. Moscow has also hinted at possible trilateral talks with India and China, which could be explored during Modi’s discussions with Putin.
The SCO summit is expected to bring together more than 20 leaders from Asia and the Middle East, giving Beijing an opportunity to position itself as a voice of the Global South. For India, the platform offers a chance to reaffirm its multilateral commitments and project itself as a balancing power amid shifting global dynamics.