Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Tianjin on Saturday to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit, marking his first trip to China since 2018. The three-day visit (August 30–September 1) is being seen as a key opportunity to stabilise and possibly reset New Delhi-Beijing relations.

Warmly welcomed by the Indian diaspora, Modi is scheduled to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping on Sunday, in what could be the most consequential bilateral engagement since border tensions strained ties in 2020.

A relationship shaped by highs and lows

India and China established diplomatic relations in 1950, but the 1962 war cast a long shadow. Rajiv Gandhi’s 1988 visit initiated a thaw, followed by milestones like Vajpayee’s 2003 trip, Wen Jiabao’s 2005 India visit, and Xi’s 2014 state visit. Modi himself last visited China in 2015, with informal summits in Wuhan (2018) and Chennai (2019) deepening dialogue before tensions resurfaced in Ladakh.

Since 2020, military and diplomatic talks—including 24 Special Representatives-level dialogues and 27 WMCC meetings—have helped manage the disputed boundary, preventing escalation.

Signs of cautious reset

Recent steps suggest progress: in 2025 China lifted restrictions on fertilisers, rare earths, and tunnel-boring machines, offering India a boost in infrastructure and clean energy. The Kailash Mansarovar Yatra resumed this year, and talks are underway on restoring direct flights and easing visas.

These developments, along with Modi’s planned meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the SCO, underline India’s effort to balance national interests with multipolar engagement.

As global alignments shift, Modi’s first China visit in seven years is not just a return to dialogue—it could mark a strategic recalibration aimed at managing disputes while advancing cooperation.