Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to travel to China from August 31 to September 1 to participate in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Tianjin. This marks his first visit to China in over seven years, following the Galwan Valley clashes of 2020 that shattered Indo-China ties. The visit comes at a fraught moment. Relations between India and the United States are under significant stress: President Donald Trump has imposed steep tariffs on Indian exports and cast a critical eye on New Delhi’s continued energy ties with Russia, warning of further repercussions. Within this context, the SCO summit represents a potential diplomatic pivot—India moving closer to Beijing as a counterbalance to American pressure.
Recent months signal a thawing of historical tensions. In October 2024, Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping met in Kazan during the BRICS summit, resulting in agreements on patrolling arrangements along the Line of Actual Control and military disengagement at key friction points. Since then, steps toward dialogue have continued with the revival of the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra, resumption of tourist visas for Chinese nationals, and plans for direct flights between the two countries. Yet, strain persists. In June, India’s Defence Minister Rajnath Singh refused to sign an SCO defense communique because it omitted mention of the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack and included a veiled reference to Balochistan perceived as unfriendly to India. China later issued a strong condemnation of the Pahalgam attack following U.S. designation of affiliated groups as terrorist organizations.
The optics of this visit—coming at a time of tension with the U.S.—is raising concerns across India. Critics argue: In seeking “strategic relevance,” is India quietly ceding leverage or influence to Beijing? The shadow of the 2020 Galwan clash still looms large. Any signs of diplomatic rapprochement with China may be interpreted domestically as India compromising its hard-won gains or downplaying its security concerns. While the move may be aimed at reasserting India’s diplomatic independence, balancing between Washington and Beijing is a tightrope walk. Trump’s aggressive posture—tariffs and threats over oil purchases—has left India searching for alternatives. Yet aligning too overtly with China risks eroding confidence among Western partners. India’s regional influence often stems from its ability to project moral clarity and strategic autonomy. A high-profile visit to China, while intended to assert such independence, may be vulnerable to interpretation as a “nod” to Beijing—not a normalization, but a concession.
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Prime Minister Modi’s visit to Tianjin for the SCO Summit is undeniably a pivotal diplomatic gesture. But like every high-stakes handshake, it comes with risk—and optics. Is this a bold statement of India’s multi-aligned strategy? Or does it signal a softening posture under foreign pressure? In the months ahead, the substance of India’s bilateral discussions—and whether tangible gains are secured—will determine if this move is remembered as strategic recalibration, or a quiet surrender.