Keeping up the momentum in India-China ties will be a key focus area of the visit.
Trump's 50% tariffs on India, including a 25% 'penalty' for buying Russian oil, are being seen as having brought New Delhi closer to both Beijing and Moscow.
Here Are 10 Points On This Important Visit:
- Seven years after his last visit, Prime Minister Narendra Modi landed in China on Saturday for the annual summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) in Tianjin, which will be held for two days, starting Sunday. He was welcomed by members of the Indian diaspora.
- The Prime Minister will meet Chinese President Xi Jinping on Sunday amid the 50% tariffs imposed on India by US President Donald Trump and China's own tussle with the US over levies.
- Keeping up the momentum in India-China ties, which have mended significantly since the lows following the Galwan clash in 2020 and a prolonged military standoff in Eastern Ladakh, is expected to be the key focus area of the meeting.
- PM Modi, who was in Japan ahead of the visit, said in an interview there that India-China ties are crucial and will have a "positive impact on regional peace and prosperity".
- "At the invitation of President Xi Jinping, I will travel to Tianjin from here to take part in the SCO summit. Since my meeting with President Xi in Kazan (at the SCO meet in Russia) last year, steady and positive progress has been made in our bilateral ties," PM Modi said.
- "Stable, predictable, and amicable bilateral relations between India and China, the two largest nations on Earth, can have a positive impact on regional and global peace and prosperity... This is also crucial for a multi-polar Asia and world," he added.
- India and China also decided, after Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi visited New Delhi earlier this month, to work on a settlement of the boundary question and said an expert group will be set up to explore an early solution to boundary delimitation. The countries also agreed to resume direct flight connectivity at the earliest, as well as the facilitation of visas.
- Prime Minister Modi is also expected to hold bilateral talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of the summit. The two leaders are expected to discuss the impact of Trump tariffs, Russia's conflict with Ukraine and the situation in Gaza.
- On Saturday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky also called PM Modi and shared his perspective on the recent developments related to Ukraine. "Thank President Zelenskyy for his phone call today. We exchanged views on the ongoing conflict, its humanitarian aspect, and efforts to restore peace and stability. India extends full support to all efforts in this direction," PM Modi wrote on X after the call.
- Experts, including those in Washington, have said Trump's tariffs have immeasurably harmed the deepening cooperation between India and the US on several fronts. New Delhi, they have said, will now look to build closer relationships with both Moscow and Beijing to diversify trade and also stick to its policy of not aligning with any one country but keeping its national interest front and centre.
