Cornered by sudden US tariffs of 50% on Indian goods, justified by President Donald Trump as a response to India's imports of Russian oil, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has moved closer to Beijing, despite China being both a rival and an adversary. Modi met with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Sunday, August 31, just hours before the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit opened in Tianjin, the vast port city near China's capital. This was the Hindu nationalist's first visit to China since 2018. The two leaders had been at odds since their troops clashed in 2020 in the contested Himalayan region of Ladakh, an encounter that left 20 Indian soldiers dead and an unknown number of Chinese casualties.

The meeting lasted one hour, after which Modi struck an especially optimistic tone, describing "an atmosphere of peace and stability" restored "after the disengagement on the border," and calling for closer ties. "The interests of 2.8 billion people of both countries are linked to our cooperation," he said. "This will also pave the way for the welfare of the entire humanity. We are committed to taking our relations forward on the basis of mutual trust, respect, and sensitivity."

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