(Image source from: x.com/narendramodi)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to travel to China for the regional meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation in Tianjin from August 31 to September 1. This visit marks another effort to mend the relationship between the two countries, which had been damaged after the conflict in Galwan in 2020. The last time PM Modi went to China was in 2019, although he did meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping during the BRICS Summit in Kazan in October 2024. This visit comes at a time when the US, under President Donald Trump, has imposed high tariffs and is increasing pressure on India regarding its oil purchases from Russia. It is believed that India's shift in relations with China might help balance its ties with the US. India's participation is also influenced by China's support for Pakistan and the recent Pahalgam attack. In June, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh declined to endorse a joint statement made at a defence ministers' meeting under SCO, as it did not reference the Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 people but did bring up Balochistan, indirectly blaming India for unrest there.
The omission of the Pahalgam incident from the statement appears to have been influenced by Pakistan. However, the following month, China made a strong declaration against terrorism when the US identified The Resistance Front, a group linked to Pakistan's Lashkar-e-Taiba, as a foreign terrorist group for its role in the Pahalgam attack. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian stated, "China strongly opposes all forms of terrorism and condemns the terrorist attack that took place on April 22... China urges regional nations to improve cooperation against terrorism and work together for regional safety and stability." During this upcoming SCO meeting, discussions involving 10 member nations are expected to focus on issues such as terrorism, regional safety, and trade. Efforts will be aimed at restoring stability and communication in India-China relations. There is a chance that PM Modi will hold individual meetings with Russian President Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping during the summit.
In October 2024, PM Modi and Xi Jinping met at the BRICS summit in Kazan. After that, initiatives to ease border tensions between the two nations intensified, and the restart of the Kailash-Mansarovar journey helped improve their relations significantly. The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, founded in 2001, aims to enhance regional security through collaboration. The group currently consists of 10 member countries: Belarus, China, India, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan.
