NEW DELHI, India – August 7, 2025 – Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to visit China for the first time in over seven years, a government source confirmed today, signaling a potential diplomatic thaw between the two Asian giants. The visit is set to take place for the multilateral Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit, which begins on August 31 in the Chinese city of Tianjin.
The trip comes at a time of escalating tensions between India and the United States, marked by what a government source described as the most serious crisis in years. U.S. President Donald Trump has imposed the highest tariffs on goods imported from India among Asian peers and has threatened an unspecified penalty for India’s continued purchases of Russian oil. Trump’s administration has also threatened an additional 10% tariff on imports from BRICS nations, including India, for “aligning themselves with Anti-American policies.”
Prime Minister Modi’s visit marks a significant step in defusing tensions with China, which had sharply deteriorated following a military clash along their disputed Himalayan border in 2020. The two countries have been slowly repairing relations after a recent meeting between Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of a BRICS summit in Russia last October.
Concurrently, India is engaged in high-level diplomatic efforts with Russia. National Security Adviser Ajit Doval is in Moscow to discuss India’s purchase of Russian oil and the S400 air defense system. His visit is expected to be followed by Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar in the coming weeks.
Despite the trade uncertainties with the U.S., which could impact approximately $64 billion in exports, the Reserve Bank of India has maintained its GDP growth forecast for the current financial year at 6.5 percent. This indicates a government assessment that the direct economic impact on India’s $4 trillion economy will be limited.
You May Like To Read:
