China has extended a warm invitation to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit in Tianjin, scheduled for August 31 to September 1, 2025, as announced by Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun on August 8, per Reuters. This marks Modi’s first visit to China since 2018, a significant step following the 2020 Galwan Valley clash that strained bilateral relations. “China welcomes Prime Minister Modi to China for the SCO Tianjin Summit,” Guo said during a Beijing briefing, adding, “We believe that with the concerted effort of all parties, the Tianjin summit will be a gathering of solidarity, friendship and fruitful results.”
The SCO Summit, hosted by China, will be the largest in the organization’s history, with leaders from over 20 countries and heads of 10 international organizations attending, according to Xinhua. Guo emphasized that the event will usher the SCO into “a new stage of high-quality development featuring greater solidarity, coordination, dynamism and productiveness.” The SCO, founded in 2001, includes member states like India, China, Russia, Pakistan, and Iran, focusing on regional security, economic cooperation, and counter-terrorism, per The New York Times. Modi’s participation follows recent diplomatic engagements, including meetings with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the 2024 BRICS Summit in Kazan and visits by Indian ministers to China for SCO events.
India’s attendance comes amid strained U.S. relations, with President Trump imposing a 25% tariff on Indian goods due to its Russian oil purchases, per Reuters. Modi’s trip, following a visit to Japan on August 29, underscores India’s efforts to balance ties with global powers. While no bilateral meeting with Xi has been confirmed, the summit offers a platform for dialogue, building on a 2024 agreement to resolve border tensions along the 3,500-km Line of Actual Control, per The Hindu. India’s earlier refusal to endorse an SCO defense ministers’ statement due to its omission of the April 22 Pahalgam attack, which killed 26 people, highlights its firm stance on terrorism, per NDTV.
Key details of the SCO Tianjin Summit include:
- Historic Scale: Largest SCO summit, with over 20 world leaders attending.
- Regional Focus: Aims to enhance security, trade, and counter-terrorism efforts.
- Diplomatic Thaw: Modi’s first China visit since 2018 signals warming ties.
China’s support for India on the tariff issue, with Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian condemning terrorism after the Pahalgam attack, suggests a cooperative tone, per NDTV. As Modi prepares to join leaders like Russia’s Vladimir Putin, the summit could strengthen India’s role in regional affairs while fostering dialogue with China, a key SCO player, per News18.
