PM Modi to Meet President Xi Jinping During China Visit

Quick Summary

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Tianjin on August 30, 2025, marking his first visit to China since 2018.
• He will hold bilateral meetings with Chinese President Xi Jinping adn Russian President Vladimir Putin ahead of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit.
• Twenty foreign leaders are attending the SCO Plus summit hosted by China, which chairs the 10-member bloc this year.
• ModiS scheduled meeting with Putin gains significance following a phone call from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy urging signals to Russia about Ukraine’s peace efforts.
• This is PM Modi’s first in-person attendance at an SCO summit as Samarkand in 2022; previous summits where online or skipped entirely by him.
• Modi will come face-to-face with Pakistan PM Shahbaz Sharif amidst strained ties post-Pahalgam terror attack and Operation Sindoor.

Indian Opinion Analysis
PM Narendra Modi’s participation at the SCO Summit reflects India’s diplomatic balancing act between major global powers amidst shifting geopolitical landscapes. The improved India-China ties ahead of this meeting are notable given historical tensions over border conflicts, while engagement with Russia occurs during heightened scrutiny due to its involvement in Ukraine-underscored by Zelenskyy’s phone call requesting firm action from India and other leaders.

India’s aligned focus on regional stability through dialog within platforms like SCO demonstrates its interest in maintaining influence across Eurasia amid challenges posed by economic slowdowns and security concerns like terrorism-from nations including Pakistan attending the same event.

Strategically, Mr. Modi’s face-to-face discussions may create opportunities for addressing sensitive matters directly, especially regarding unresolved bilateral disputes-a moment that contrasts sharply against prior years’ avoidance of such settings either online or absent attendance altogether.

Read more: The Hindu