SCO Summit 2025: Modi-Xi Meeting at a Critical Juncture for US-India Relations

The upcoming Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Tianjin, China, will host crucial bilateral talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chinese President Xi Jinping, and Russian President Vladimir Putin. This summit is of particular importance to India, especially given the strained relations with the United States due to Donald Trump’s trade policies. Modi’s visit to China seven years ago in 2018, following the Doklam standoff, is a point of reference. The current situation sees India and China attempting to normalize their relationship amidst global instability. Modi and Xi will hold two bilateral meetings during the SCO summit, and Modi will meet with Putin as well. The summit provides Modi with a platform to send a message to Trump, particularly after recent criticism of India’s oil purchases from Russia amid the Ukraine war. All eyes are on the discussions between Modi and Xi. Following a meeting last October in Kazan, where troop withdrawals from disputed areas on the LAC were agreed upon, relations have been improving. The US policies of pitting India against China have been reversed. President Xi has called for a ‘dragon-elephant tango’ to safeguard core interests. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi recently reiterated the need to see each other as ‘partners’ rather than ‘threats or rivals,’ leading to agreements to resume direct flights, visa facilitation, and the reopening of border trading points. The two sides will ensure border issues do not affect other bilateral matters. Stable India-China relations can help mitigate the impact of US tariffs as India seeks to reduce its dependence on the US market.