Indian media report that Indian Prime Minister Modi is expected to visit China at the end of August to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in Tianjin. If it happens, this will be Modi’s first visit to China in seven years, and also his first visit since the China-India Galwan Valley border clash in 2020.
According to multiple Indian media outlets, sources revealed that Modi will attend the SCO summit to be held in Tianjin from August 31 to September 1.
Neither Chinese nor Indian authorities have confirmed news of Modi’s visit, but Indian government sources say that officials are preparing for Modi’s trip to China. Chinese President Xi Jinping will host the summit, and Russian President Putin will also attend.
Modi will also travel to Tokyo to hold the annual India-Japan summit with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba.
Sources said that once the Indian side finalizes Modi’s trip to China, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi will go to New Delhi to discuss the agenda for a meeting between Xi Jinping and Modi. Wang Yi is also expected to meet with Indian National Security Advisor Doval to hold talks regarding the China-India border issue.
It is reported that Modi’s last visit to China was in 2018, when he held an informal meeting with Xi Jinping in Wuhan in April of that year, and later attended the SCO summit in Qingdao in June.
If the trip takes place, Modi’s visit to China will come at a time when India’s economic and trade relations with the United States have hit a low point.
On the 6th, U.S. President Trump signed an executive order to impose an additional 25% tariff on Indian exports to the U.S., citing India’s ‘direct or indirect import of Russian oil’ as the reason.
Foreign media report that previously, the U.S. had already imposed a 25% tariff on Indian goods, and this new measure further raises the relevant tax rate to 50%.