Indian PM Modi to attend SCO summit in China
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to travel to China later this month to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit, marking his first visit to the country in six years.
The summit, scheduled to begin on August 31 in the northern port city of Tianjin, is expected to bring together leaders of the eight-member regional bloc, which includes Russia, Pakistan and Central Asian states.
India’s National Security Adviser Ajit Doval confirmed the visit on Tuesday during talks in New Delhi with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi. “Our prime minister will be visiting for the SCO summit,” Doval said, adding that the event comes at a time of “new energy” in India-China engagement after years of strained ties.
Beijing welcomed the announcement, with Wang Yi stressing that China “attaches great importance” to Modi’s participation. He noted that “history and reality prove once again that a healthy and stable China-India relationship serves the fundamental and long-term interests of both countries.”
In his meeting with Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar on Monday, Wang said that both nations should “see each other as partners and opportunities rather than adversaries or threats.” He cited the resumption of high-level talks and efforts to maintain peace along disputed border areas as signs of a “positive trend” toward cooperation.
The upcoming summit comes against the backdrop of a turbulent period in bilateral relations. India and China, the world’s two most populous nations, remain locked in a tense border dispute that flared into a deadly clash in the Galwan Valley in 2020, leaving soldiers on both sides dead. Since then, several rounds of military and diplomatic negotiations have been held to reduce tensions, though troop deployments along parts of the Line of Actual Control (LAC) remain high.
For India, Modi’s presence at the SCO is also about asserting influence within the Eurasian grouping, particularly as Pakistan and Russia are expected to use the platform to highlight regional security and connectivity issues. Analysts say the visit could provide an opportunity for Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping to hold a bilateral meeting on the sidelines, potentially laying the groundwork for broader dialogue on trade, security, and border management.
The SCO, founded in 2001, has become a key forum for regional security and economic cooperation. Modi’s attendance signals India’s intent to remain actively engaged with the bloc despite its often difficult relationship with Beijing.
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