Modi’s China Visit: New Journey, New Vistas for Old Ties

In a world beset by multiple crises and conflicts, diplomacy has a critical role to play in maintaining global peace, balance, and stability. Rather than getting entangled in geopolitical calculations, inter-state relations should be harnessed creatively to promote peace, harmony, and development in the world.

As important neighbors and the world’s largest, most populous emerging markets and developing countries, China and India have immense potential for cooperation. Maintaining a solid friendship best serves the fundamental interests of China and India, which is essential for realizing the goal of a “Dragon-Elephant Tango” and making this century the “Asian Century”.

Xi-Modi meeting will open new avenues for China-India relations

The long-running border dispute has driven a wedge between China and India, impacting over 2.88 billion people on either side of the Himalayas. However, in a concerted effort to reboot bilateral ties, the leaderships of both countries have engaged in sustained dialogue, eschewing conflict and mistrust.

At the invitation of President Xi Jinping, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to visit China for the 25th Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit in Tianjin from August 31 to September 1. This highly anticipated visit, Modi’s first to China in seven years, has garnered significant global attention, given the strain in India-China relations overrecent years.

The timing of Modi’s China visit is crucial in the backdrop of a significant rift in the India-U.S. strategic partnership and trade relationship following President Donald Trump’s imposition of 50 percent tariffs on Indian goods.

It’s really encouraging that China has stood firmly by India regarding the tariffs imposed on Indian goods.

Chinese Ambassador to India, Xu Feihong, emphasized this stance in his speech titled “SCO Summit: Resetting India-China Relations” on August 21, 2025 stating, “In the face of such acts, silence or compromise only emboldens the bully. China will firmly stand with India to uphold the multilateral trading system with the World Trade Organization at its core,” in reference to Trump’s 50 percent tariffs on India.

PM Modi wrote on X after meeting Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi: “I look forward to our next meeting in Tianjin on the sidelines of the SCO Summit. Stable, predictable, and constructive ties between India and China will significantly contribute to regional and global peace and prosperity.”

Modi’s remark illuminates the shared aspirations of both nations to forge a path of cooperation and mutual benefit, despite periods of turbulence. Indeed, Sino-Indian cooperation is the linchpin of regional stability in the current uncertain global landscape. This visit is poised to infuse fresh momentum into the bilateral relationship, fostering the development and partnership between the two nations.

Against the backdrop of strained Sino-Indian relations and the ongoing U.S.-India tariff spat, a one-on-one meeting between Modi and Xi on the sidelines of the Tianjin SCO summit could be a watershed moment, potentially paving the way for a new chapter in India-China relations.

If the Dragon and the Elephant can overcome diffidence and suspicions, they can harmonize their steps to dance together in the evolving multipolar world, creating a more balanced and stable global landscape.

While resolving deep-seated border disputes in a single meeting is unrealistic, the hope is that both leaders will work towards mutually beneficial solutions, fostering a stronger bilateral relationship. This would bring relief and optimism to both nations, paving the way for a brighter, more cooperative future – symbolized by a harmonious “pas de deux” between India and China.

High-level exchanges impart stability to China-India ties

Since the Modi-Xi meeting in Kazan last year, several positive outcomes have been achieved over the past 10 months, including increased visa issuances, high-level engagements, and the reopening of the Mount Gang Renpoche and Lake Mapam Yun Tso in China’s Xizang Autonomous Region. In a promising development, Xu Feihong highlighted that bilateral trade between China and India has surged to $75 billion in the first half of this year, marking a 10 percentincrease from the previous year.

In recent months, high-level exchanges between India and China have gained momentum, with ministers and diplomats from both nations engaging in reciprocal visits aimed at repairing bilateral relations that have been under severe strain for the past five years.

In a significant diplomatic push, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi visited India on August 18-19, aiming to advance mutually beneficial cooperation and thaw the diplomatic frostiness. During his three-day stay in New Delhi, Wang held talks with PM Modi, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval.

On August 19, the 24th meeting of the SRs between Wang and Doval saw a ten-point consensus where the two sides agreed to set up an Expert Group, under the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination on the China-India border affairs (WMCC) framework to explore early harvest of boundary delimitation on appropriate Sectors.

Wang’s visit yielded warmer rhetoric and new frameworks for resetting bilateral relations. After meeting with Wang, PM Modi stated that India and China have made “steady progress” in their ties, reiterating India’s commitment to a fair, reasonable, and mutually acceptable resolution to the boundary question. Wang noted that China and India should view each other as “partners and opportunities, rather than adversaries or threats,” offering the world “much-needed certainty and stability.” He emphasized that both countries should focus on development and revitalization.

A key outcome of Wang’s visit to India was China’s decision to lift export restrictions on fertilizers, rare earth minerals, and tunnel boring machines to India. This move addresses significant concerns amid trade and tariff tensions with the United States. Overall, Wang’s visit lent credence to the strength of China-India ties, promising enhanced trade, economic cooperation, and of course, people-to-people exchanges.

Upholding the Shanghai Spirit

The SCO summit in Tianjin promises to be a landmark event, hosting a record over 20 world leaders.

Both India and China are key pillars of the BRICS, G20, and the 10-nation grouping SCO. With the guiding principle of “Upholding the Shanghai Spirit: SCO on the Move,” the upcoming Tianjin Summit is poised to galvanize regional solidarity and cooperation, addressing complex problems and challenges.

The SCO offers a unique opportunity for member states to work together. Amidst multiple global crises and conflicts, member states can leverage this forum to resolve outstanding issues through dialogue, adhering to the SCO Charter and the Treaty on Long-term Good-neighborliness, Friendship, and Cooperation. By upholding the “Shanghai Spirit” of mutual trust and benefit, India can contribute to the SCO’s development and foster a “closer community with a shared future,” as envisioned by President Xi. The Tianjin Summit will surely reaffirm the SCO’s role in promoting the development and prosperity of member states while countering hegemonism and power politics.

As the world navigates a tumultuous era, China and India, standing at the vanguard of the Global South, bear a solemn responsibility to champion an equitable and harmonious multipolar world. In this pursuit, the SCO’s clarion call for peace and justice resonates as a beacon of hope for a stronger Asia and a more enlightened world. Echoing the prescient words of Deng Xiaoping, the realization of a true Asian century only comes when China and India are both developed, underscoring the imperative of collaborative progress.

The article reflects the author’s opinions, and not necessarily the views of China Focus.