Indian PM Modi In China After 7 Years, Set To Meet Xi Jinping Tomorrow

TDT | Manama

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Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in China this weekend for his first visit in seven years. He is attending a regional security summit in Tianjin, where he will meet Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The visit comes just days after the United States doubled tariffs on Indian exports to 50%, citing India’s continued purchases of Russian oil. The move has disrupted years of growing cooperation between India and the US, particularly in technology and efforts to counter China’s global influence.

Experts say the US decision has strained trust. Michael Kugelman, a South Asia analyst, commented: “Indian trust in the US is shattered. It’s unclear if Washington fully understands how much trust has been lost.”

The summit in China presents a strategic opportunity for New Delhi. “Modi will be in China at a moment when India-China relations are stabilising and India-US relations have soured. It sends a strong message,” Kugelman said.

Manoj Kewalramani, head of Indo-Pacific studies at the Takshashila Institution in Bengaluru, added that some in China may see the trade tensions with the US as favorable. The presence of Putin also allows Russia to emphasize its close ties with India, analysts say.

Washington has linked the tariffs to India’s ongoing Russian crude oil purchases and defence imports, arguing that India is indirectly supporting Moscow’s war in Ukraine.