TIANJIN, CHINA: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Sunday during a high-stakes bilateral meeting in Tianjin, on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit. The encounter comes at a time when geopolitical dynamics are in flux, particularly with recent strains emerging between New Delhi and Washington over trade-related policies.
The discussions between Modi and Xi, which took place ahead of the SCO leaders’ session, are seen as a crucial step toward recalibrating regional partnerships. While official details remain under wraps, sources familiar with the agenda suggested that the talks covered a range of strategic and economic issues, including regional security and trade collaboration. Given the complexity of the issues on the table, a follow-up conversation between the two leaders later in the day was not ruled out.
This marks the first face-to-face engagement between Modi and Xi since their meeting in Kazan, Russia, in October last year during the BRICS summit. Their renewed interaction underscores a cautious but deliberate attempt by both countries to maintain open lines of communication amid shifting international alliances.
The SCO summit, hosted this year by China in its role as the bloc’s rotating chair, has drawn participation from 20 foreign leaders. Apart from the core members—India, China, Russia, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and Belarus—the summit has seen a broader turnout under the “SCO Plus” format.
Among the notable attendees are Russian President Vladimir Putin, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Nepal’s KP Sharma Oli, and Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu. The formal leaders’ summit is scheduled for Monday.
Before returning to New Delhi, Modi is also slated to hold a separate discussion with President Putin, as India continues to engage in a delicate diplomatic balancing act between competing global powers.
With tensions simmering in global trade relations and ongoing regional security concerns, the Modi-Xi dialogue may signal a cautious thaw—or at the very least, a mutual recognition of the need for dialogue in an increasingly fragmented world.
