Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping held a 40-minute closed-door meeting in Tianjin on Sunday, seeking to recalibrate India-China ties at a time when friction with Washington has deepened following U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariff escalation. The talks took place on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit, where Modi is also expected to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin for the first time since Washington doubled tariffs on Indian exports to 50 percent over New Delhi’s continued purchase of Russian crude.
This marks Modi’s first visit to China in seven years, his last being the informal Wuhan summit in 2018 after the Doklam standoff. Unlike then, the spotlight now is on economic and strategic cooperation as both Asian powers respond to Trump’s aggressive tariff measures. The Modi-Xi meeting comes amid renewed attempts to rebuild trust, with the two leaders scheduled to meet twice during the summit. Modi’s subsequent talks with Putin will add to the symbolism of India aligning more closely with Beijing and Moscow as Trump hardens his stance on New Delhi.
The optics of Modi standing alongside Xi and Putin are especially significant given recent U.S. accusations against India. White House adviser Peter Navarro even described the Ukraine war as “Modi’s war,” blaming New Delhi’s Russian oil imports for fueling the conflict. Trump’s tariff pressure has not only strained U.S.-India ties but also inadvertently brought India and China closer.
Relations between New Delhi and Beijing had been at their lowest after the 2020 Galwan clashes. Even this year, India remained wary of China, particularly with Beijing’s military support to Pakistan. Yet, the shared pressure of U.S. tariffs appears to have created an opportunity for rapprochement. The reset began last October when Modi and Xi met in Kazan, Russia, after years of avoiding each other at international forums. That meeting followed an agreement to disengage at the remaining friction points along the Line of Actual Control (LAC).
Chinese President Xi earlier this year urged a “Dragon-Elephant tango” between the two nations, highlighting the importance of cooperation over rivalry. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi reinforced this message during his recent Delhi visit, encouraging both sides to treat each other as “partners.” His trip also yielded concrete measures: resuming direct flights, reopening border trade routes, and restoring business and cultural exchanges.
Despite political strains, China has remained India’s second-largest trading partner, with India heavily reliant on Chinese raw materials and components. A more stable relationship with Beijing could help India cushion the economic impact of Trump’s tariffs by strengthening supply chains and providing better access to Chinese markets.
As Modi and Xi met in Tianjin, comparisons with the Wuhan summit resurfaced. In 2018, their personal camaraderie was on full display with lakeside strolls and a boat ride. Whether Tianjin produces similar optics—or a substantive breakthrough—remains to be seen. But what is clear is that the evolving dynamics of U.S. policy are reshaping India-China engagement in ways few would have anticipated just years ago.
