Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to make his first visit to China in over seven years, a government source disclosed, marking a potential warming of bilateral relations as geopolitical frictions with Washington intensify.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to travel to China for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit beginning August 31, according to a source familiar with the matter. India’s foreign ministry has yet to issue an official response.
Modi’s trip comes as India-U.S. relations face growing strain, with Washington imposing elevated tariffs on Indian exports and warning of potential repercussions over India’s ongoing purchases of Russian oil.
Modi’s visit to Tianjin for the SCO summit will be his first trip to China since June 2018, after relations worsened following the 2020 border clash in the Himalayas.
Modi and Xi Jinping talked during the BRICS summit in Russia last October, helping to reduce tensions. The two countries are now slowly working to improve trade and travel between them.
Trump said he might add a 10% tariff on goods from BRICS countries, including India, because of their “anti-American” actions.
On Wednesday, Trump said the government will decide on penalties for buying Russian oil after seeing if the U.S. can help bring a stop to the war in Ukraine.
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Trump’s top diplomat Steve Witkoff is in Moscow a few days before a deadline for Russia to accept peace in Ukraine or face more sanctions.
Doval will likely focus on strengthening defense ties with Russia, aiming to speed up the S-400 air defense delivery and explore a possible visit from President Putin to India.
