Overview

• Indian Express reports the leaders are likely to hold a bilateral on 31 August on the sidelines of the SCO summit in Tianjin.
• Modi will be in China from 31 August to 1 September for the regional gathering, his first trip there since 2018.
• Ties have been strained since the 2020 LAC standoff, with limited steps toward normalisation such as resuming the Mansarovar Yatra, restoring tourist visas and exploring direct flights.
• Relations were further tested in May after Indian reports of active Chinese assistance to Pakistan’s military following Operation Sindoor.
• Chinese Ambassador Xu Feihong criticized recent U.S. tariffs on Indian goods and urged closer India–China economic cooperation, as India signals summit priorities of trade, connectivity and territorial integrity.