Overview

• The Indian government has not confirmed whether Prime Minister Narendra Modi will attend China’s September 3 military parade in Beijing alongside Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump.
• Modi previously declined invitations to China’s parade in 2015 and skipped Russia’s Victory Day in May, citing security and non-alignment priorities.
• High-level talks in mid-2025 and a reversal of India’s precondition on restoring the pre-2020 border status have signaled a thaw in New Delhi–Beijing relations.
• Tensions with President Trump’s administration over tariffs and mediation offers have driven New Delhi to reassess its traditional alignment with Washington.
• Experts say Modi’s attendance could facilitate a tripartite meeting leveraging Russia’s role to address the longstanding India–China border dispute.