New Delhi, August 19 – In a move that could open a new chapter in Asia’s diplomatic dynamics, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to visit China later this month — his first trip to the country since 2018. The announcement was made today by National Security Adviser Ajit Doval during high-level discussions in New Delhi with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi.
Modi will travel to Tianjin to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit on August 31, a gathering of regional leaders aimed at fostering political, economic, and security cooperation. Doval emphasized that the Prime Minister’s visit reflects a “new energy” in efforts to recalibrate the diplomatic relationship between the two neighboring giants.
“Our Prime Minister will be visiting for the SCO summit,” Doval said. “We see renewed momentum and potential in our diplomatic engagement.”
Wang Yi, expressing optimism through an official translator, said China “attaches great importance” to Modi’s visit. “History and reality prove again that a healthy and stable China–India relationship serves the long-term and fundamental interests of both nations,” Wang remarked.
The visit carries significant weight as both countries continue to grapple with the aftermath of a deadly 2020 border clash that stalled progress on many fronts. Trust was strained, and tensions simmered along the Line of Actual Control. Yet, amid shifting global alliances and escalating trade uncertainties — particularly stemming from US-China friction during Donald Trump’s presidency — there is now a noticeable desire on both sides to rebuild.
India’s participation in the Quad alliance with the United States, Australia, and Japan has also cast a strategic shadow over New Delhi’s ties with Beijing. But despite being competitors for regional influence, both China and India are recognizing the necessity of cooperation over confrontation.
In a significant comment made yesterday, Wang told Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar that the two countries should “view each other as partners and opportunities, rather than adversaries or threats.”
Wang Yi is also expected to meet Prime Minister Modi later today, further signaling intent to defrost diplomatic ice and perhaps reimagine a shared future of cooperation, trade, and mutual respect.
As the world watches two of its most populous and powerful nations edge closer to diplomatic re-engagement, there is cautious optimism. This visit could be more than just a symbolic handshake — it might mark the beginning of something deeper: a reset in a relationship that affects not just Asia, but the entire world.
