Tianjin/ New Delhi: After years of icy silence and bruising border confrontations, India and China appear to be inching toward a historic reset. Five years after the deadly Galwan clashes plunged relations into a deep freeze, the two Asian giants are now cautiously rolling back restrictions, reopening trade doors, easing visas, resuming flights, and reviving high-level diplomatic exchanges.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi touched down in Tianjin on Saturday, marking his first visit to China in seven years – and his first since the bloody 2020 standoff that left ties at rock bottom. He will participate in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit, a stage set for crucial geopolitical recalibration.
“Landed in Tianjin, China. Looking forward to deliberations at the SCO Summit and meeting various world leaders,” Modi posted on X shortly after arrival – a signal of cautious optimism as the world watches closely.
Landed in Tianjin, China. Looking forward to deliberations at the SCO Summit and meeting various world leaders. pic.twitter.com/gBcEYYNMFO
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 30, 2025
The highlight of his visit will be a bilateral meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, coming at a time when India’s ties with Washington have soured sharply following former US President Donald Trump’s shock decision to slap a 50% tariff on Indian goods.
Before embarking on his twin visits to Japan and China, Modi underscored India’s vision: “India remains committed to working with SCO members to address shared challenges and deepen regional cooperation. I also look forward to meeting President Xi Jinping, President Putin and other leaders on the sidelines of the Summit.”
Why the SCO Summit Matters
Founded in 2001 in Shanghai, the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation has grown into a heavyweight Eurasian bloc with 10 full members, including India, China, Russia, Pakistan, and Iran, along with 2 observer states and 14 dialogue partners spanning the Middle East, Central Asia, and South Asia. The platform has increasingly become a geopolitical counterbalance to Western-led alliances, giving added weight to Modi’s presence this year.
As Modi and Xi prepare to share the stage, the visit is being seen as more than just a multilateral engagement. For many, it signals the possibility of a rare thaw between two of the world’s biggest powers – a cautious attempt to bury the bitterness of Galwan and explore a new chapter in Asia’s shifting power balance.
