New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to visit China to attend the annual summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) on August 31. The visit marks a potential turning point in India-China relations, which have been strained in recent years, particularly following the border tensions in eastern Ladakh.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) announced on Friday that PM Modi will travel to the Chinese city of Tianjin from August 31 to September 1, following his two-day visit to Japan. This will be Modi’s first visit to China in seven years, underscoring the significance of the trip in the context of evolving regional and global dynamics. The PM’s visit also comes at a time when India is facing increasing trade pressure from the United States. The US has imposed sweeping tariffs on Indian imports, citing concerns over New Delhi’s continued purchase of Russian oil.

President Donald Trump has notably doubled tariffs on several Indian goods, raising them to a steep 50 per cent. Amid these challenges, India has been actively working to diversify its trade relationships by pursuing new agreements with various countries.