Prime Minister Narendra Modi is in Tianjin, China, for a significant visit that includes the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit and a highly anticipated meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping. This marks Modi's first trip to China in seven years. The visit occurs amidst shifting global dynamics, notably trade tensions between India and the United States, lending extra weight to discussions between the two leaders.

PM Modi is scheduled to meet with President Xi Jinping on Sunday. The leaders are expected to discuss ways to improve relations between the two countries. This meeting is particularly important, given the current international context marked by trade disputes and the need for multilateral cooperation. The last time Modi and Xi met was on the sidelines of the BRICS summit in Kazan, Russia.

The SCO summit, taking place from August 31 to September 1, 2025, gathers leaders from across Asia, Europe, and the Middle East. This year's summit is the 25th Heads of State Council meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, and the fifth time that China has hosted the annual SCO summit. It is being held in Tianjin, China. The event aims to address pressing security challenges and enhance financial cooperation among member states. The SCO has expanded to include countries like India, Pakistan, Iran and Belarus as full members, with Afghanistan and Mongolia as observers.

The Prime Minister's schedule also includes a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday. Discussions are expected to focus on strengthening India-Russia cooperation in areas like trade and defense.

The SCO summit provides a platform for member states to address common grievances and promote multilateralism. Observers note that the summit allows China to present itself as a leader capable of uniting the Global South to counterbalance Western influence. The event also facilitates dialogue and cooperation outside of the "US-led international system".

Preparations for the summit included a series of events, such as the SCO Digital Economy Forum and the SCO Council of Foreign Ministers meeting. The press center for the summit officially opened on August 28, 2025.

Overall, PM Modi's visit to China for the SCO Summit carries significant diplomatic weight, offering opportunities to address regional and global challenges, strengthen bilateral ties, and promote multilateral cooperation.