Modi, Xi to Hold Talks in Tianjin as SCO Summit Kicks Off; Putin Meeting Also on Cards
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping are set to meet in Tianjin today, their first interaction in nearly ten months, for wide-ranging talks aimed at improving bilateral relations. The meeting comes amid a sudden downturn in India-US ties triggered by Washington’s recent trade and tariff policies.
The Modi-Xi meeting will take place on the sidelines of the two-day Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit, which begins today. Officials have not ruled out the possibility of a second round of talks later in the day, considering the breadth of issues on the table. The two leaders last met in October in Kazan, Russia, during the BRICS summit.
Before returning to India on Monday, Modi is also expected to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin, further underlining the packed diplomatic agenda of his China visit.
The SCO summit will formally open with a banquet hosted by Xi on Sunday evening. Twenty foreign leaders are attending the SCO Plus summit being held in China, which is serving as this year’s rotating chair of the 10-member bloc. Members include Russia, India, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Belarus, and China.
The high-profile gathering is being described by Beijing as the largest SCO summit so far. China’s Assistant Foreign Minister Liu Bin said earlier that it would be one of the most important head-of-state and home-ground diplomacy events in the country this year. In his keynote address, Xi is expected to present China’s new vision for the bloc, focusing on the “Shanghai Spirit,” global responsibilities, and people’s expectations.
Alongside Putin, other key leaders who have arrived include Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Nepalese Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, and Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu. The leaders’ summit will be held on Monday.
The significance of this year’s SCO summit also extends beyond formal discussions. Most visiting leaders are expected to remain in China beyond the two-day event to attend the grand military parade in Beijing on September 3. The parade will commemorate the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the broader World Anti-Fascist War.
With Modi meeting both Xi and Putin during this visit, the summit offers New Delhi an opportunity to recalibrate ties with Beijing while also reinforcing its strategic partnership with Moscow, even as India navigates strained relations with Washington.
