Tianjin (China): Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s arrival in Tianjin on Saturday to attend the annual Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit marks his first visit to China since 2018.
The August 30-September 1 visit is being viewed as a much-awaited diplomatic opportunity to reset India-China ties, which have evolved through phases of engagement, caution, and recent efforts at stabilisation.
PM Modi was warmly received by the Indian diaspora upon arrival. He is scheduled to hold a significant bilateral meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Sunday, on the sidelines of the summit.
India and China established diplomatic relations on April 1, 1950, making India the first non-socialist country to recognise the People’s Republic. However, relations were deeply affected by the 1962 border conflict. A breakthrough came with Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi’s 1988 visit, which began a gradual normalisation process.
Subsequent key milestones included: 2003: PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s visit and the establishment of the Special Representatives mechanism on the boundary question; 2005: Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao’s visit to India, launching a Strategic and Cooperative Partnership; 2014: President Xi’s visit to India for a Closer Developmental Partnership; 2015: PM Modi’s reciprocal visit to China; 2018 and 2019: Informal Summits in Wuhan and Chennai, respectively.
Relations became strained following the Eastern Ladakh border tensions in April-May 2020. However, recent steps — especially the positive meeting between PM Modi and Xi Jinping at the 2024 BRICS Summit in Kazan — have pointed towards a cautious reset.
Despite some setbacks, the two countries have been able to maintain a robust schedule of engagements, including at multilateral sidelines like G20 Hangzhou (2016), BRICS Goa (2016), SCO Astana (2017), and G20 Bali (2022).
External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi have met multiple times, most recently during the 2025 SCO Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in China which was followed by Wang Yi’s visit to India for the 24th round of Special Representatives-level boundary talks.
These meetings have underlined both sides’ interest in stabilising ties through structured dialogue and practical confidence-building measures.
The Special Representatives mechanism, launched in 2003, remains central to managing the complex boundary issue. With 24 rounds held to date, the latest in India this year focused on disengagement efforts in Eastern Ladakh. Complementing this are: 27 rounds of the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination (WMCC); 19 Senior Commanders’ meetings, with the most recent held on 13–14 August 2023 and water cooperation through the Expert-Level Mechanism, which has met 14 times, most recently in June 2023, to share hydrological data and discuss emergency responses.
These multi-track dialogues have helped avoid further escalation and foster transparency along the Line of Actual Control (LAC).
A major development in 2025 was China’s decision to lift the longstanding restrictions on the export of fertilisers, rare earth minerals, and tunnel boring machines to India. The breakthrough came after the August 2025 Jaishankar-Wang Yi meeting in New Delhi, offering a potential boost to Indian infrastructure, clean energy, and fertiliser sectors.
While bilateral trade has remained robust despite tensions, this step is seen as a significant confidence-building measure aimed at reducing asymmetries and enabling targetted cooperation in non-sensitive sectors.
In a move welcomed across both nations, the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra was resumed in 2025, reactivating one of the oldest and most symbolic cultural connections between the two countries. Both sides have also committed to resuming visa issuance for nationals and are currently negotiating the resumption of direct flight connectivity between major cities.
Such steps are expected to rebuild trust and familiarity at the societal level, crucial for long-term normalisation.
Apart from his engagement with Xi Jinping, PM Modi will also meet Russian President Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of the SCO Summit. The two leaders are expected to discuss issues like the ongoing conflicts in Ukraine, Gaza, and global economic stability amid lingering effects of Trump-era tariffs.
As global alliances undergo rapid changes, India continues to walk a path of strategic autonomy. New Delhi is deepening cooperation with diverse partners while remaining rooted in national interest and multipolar engagement. As the SCO Summit unfolds, PM Modi’s first visit to China in seven years signals far more than a return to the table. It represents a potential strategic recalibration, aimed at managing differences while advancing cooperation where interests align.
(IANS)
