Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to visit China to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) regional summit, scheduled to be held in Tianjin from August 31 to September 1. This would be Prime Minister Modi’s first visit to China since the Galwan Valley clash in 2020. He last visited China in 2019.
Key issues such as regional security, terrorism, and trade will be discussed with the SCO member nations. The summit will also aim to promote stability and dialogue in India-China relations. Informal meetings with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping are likely to take place during the summit.
Earlier, in October 2024, Prime Minister Modi and President Xi met at the BRICS summit in Kazan. That meeting was followed by intensified efforts to ease border tensions between India and China.
The possibility of PM Modi’s visit to China carries significant diplomatic importance. The development comes just days after US President Donald Trump threatened to impose a 25 percent tariff on Indian imports, citing New Delhi’s continued purchase of Russian oil.
Galwan Valley Clash
The Galwan Valley clash occurred on the night of June 15, 2020, between Indian and Chinese troops in eastern Ladakh. Due to existing agreements between the two countries, firearms were not used, and soldiers engaged in combat using stones, sticks, and other improvised weapons.
The incident resulted in the martyrdom of 20 Indian soldiers, including a commanding officer. According to reports, approximately 43 Chinese soldiers also suffered casualties.
The Galwan clash was the deadliest encounter between India and China in over four decades and significantly intensified the ongoing border standoff between the two nations.
Shanghai Cooperation Organisation
The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation is an international organization that holds annual summits to promote security, political, economic and cultural cooperation among its member countries. It was founded on June 15, 2001 in Shanghai, China.
The SCO currently has nine member countries: China, Russia, India, Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Iran. In addition, countries such as Mongolia, Belarus and Afghanistan participate as observer countries.
The last SCO summit was held virtually on July 4, 2023, under the chairmanship of India, while the 2024 summit was held in Kazakhstan.
