Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s decision to visit China after more than seven years has created a buzz across the world. The visit is important not only because it comes after a long pause in high-level engagement, but also because it follows years of bitter tensions on the border. The deadly Galwan Valley clash in 2020 was a turning point, pushing India-China ties to their lowest point in decades. Since then, the relationship has been marked by mistrust, military build-ups, and frozen dialogue.
Against this backdrop, Modi’s presence in Tianjin to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit — and his meeting with President Xi Jinping — signals something bigger: an attempt to re-open a difficult but necessary conversation.
When we look at this visit, timing is everything. Since 2020, the border has remained tense despite multiple rounds of military and diplomatic talks. Troops have disengaged in some areas, but the Line of Actual Control (LAC) is still heavily militarised. Both countries continue to build roads, tunnels, and military infrastructure close to the frontier. For citizens on both sides, this has created an uneasy atmosphere — a constant reminder that peace is fragile.
By choosing to attend the SCO Summit in Tianjin, Modi has taken a calculated risk. The optics are powerful: the Indian Prime Minister is showing that New Delhi is willing to re-engage, but on equal footing. His discussions with Xi are expected to cover border management, security cooperation, and trade. Even if no big agreements are announced, the fact that dialogue is resuming is itself a step forward.
There is also a broader message here. India is signalling to the world that it is ready to explore diplomacy, even with a rival. After years of hard positions, the willingness to meet face-to-face is a reminder that long-term peace cannot be built without conversation.
The international backdrop adds another layer of importance to this visit. India is currently under pressure from the United States, where President Donald Trump has imposed steep 50% tariffs on Indian imports. Washington has also been unhappy with New Delhi’s continued purchase of discounted Russian oil, accusing India of helping Moscow survive sanctions during the Ukraine war.
This squeeze has forced India to diversify its diplomatic choices. Relying only on the US and Europe would leave India vulnerable. Strengthening ties with China — even cautiously — gives New Delhi a counterbalance. It is a reminder that India values “strategic autonomy,” meaning it does not want to be locked into any one camp.
For China, the benefits are equally clear. Beijing faces increasing hostility from the West and needs strong regional partnerships to avoid isolation. Building a working relationship with India, the other Asian giant, helps China present itself as a stabiliser in the region.
This is where the Modi-Xi meeting becomes larger than just bilateral. It has implications for the global order, where power is increasingly contested between Washington and Beijing. If India and China can at least lower hostilities, it could reshape the balance of Asia.
While border issues dominate the headlines, economics is where the real stakes lie. Trade between India and China has actually grown in recent years, reaching record levels despite political tensions. However, the trade deficit remains a sore point, with India importing far more from China than it exports.
For India, reducing this gap, attracting Chinese investments, and securing stable access to supply chains are major priorities. For China, keeping India engaged prevents it from drifting entirely into America’s camp. Economic cooperation could also make regional groupings like BRICS and SCO more meaningful.
If Modi and Xi can move even a little on trade facilitation or investment, it could provide both sides with economic breathing room at a time of global uncertainty.
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The key question is whether this visit can truly reset relations. Experts are cautious. The shadow of Galwan still looms large, and public opinion in both countries remains hardened. Trust is not rebuilt overnight.
But diplomacy is not always about grand breakthroughs. Sometimes, simply keeping a conversation alive is the biggest achievement. Modi and Xi may not solve the border dispute in one meeting, but they can create new mechanisms to manage incidents, agree on disengagement in sensitive areas, or resume cultural and people-to-people exchanges.
These small steps matter because they create a climate where bigger solutions become possible. In a way, this visit is less about “solving” and more about “starting” — opening doors that had been shut since 2020.
At ArthPrakash, we see this visit as the beginning of a cautious new chapter. Modi’s trip to China is a recognition that the two largest Asian powers cannot afford permanent hostility. The border dispute will not vanish, but the cost of silence has become too high.
Yet optimism must be tempered. Both sides will have to show consistent political will. For India, security and sovereignty remain non-negotiable. For China, respecting India’s sensitivities will be the real test. A single summit cannot erase years of mistrust, but it can lower the temperature and set a roadmap.
The importance of this visit extends beyond India and China. Asia’s future stability depends on how these two powers manage their differences. From the South China Sea to the Ukraine conflict, global issues are increasingly interconnected. A functional India-China relationship could make regional groupings like SCO more effective and offer the world an alternative to US-China rivalry.
Ultimately, this visit should be seen as the start of a process, not the end of one. Modi and Xi’s willingness to meet is an acknowledgment that both nations need each other — not as friends, perhaps, but as partners who share the same neighbourhood.
The road ahead will be difficult, but in diplomacy, even small steps matter. This meeting is one such step — a sip of dialogue after years of silence.
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