PM Modi Set To Visit China Amid US Tariff Heat

(MENAFN- Kashmir Observer) Special Correspondent

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to visit China later this month for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit, marking his first trip to the country in over seven years - and the first since the 2020 Ladakh border standoff. A government source confirmed the visit, signalling a diplomatic thaw with Beijing at a time when India's relationship with Washington faces fresh turbulence.

Modi's visit to the Chinese city of Tianjin for the SCO summit, beginning August 31, comes amid escalating pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump, who has imposed a steep 50% tariff on Indian goods over India's continued purchase of Russian oil. Trump recently described BRICS nations, including India, as“aligning with anti-American policies” and hinted at an additional 10% tariff on imports from the bloc.

Modi last traveled to China in June 2018. Since then, ties between the two Asian giants soured significantly, especially after deadly clashes in the Galwan Valley in 2020. However, a brief meeting between Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping during a BRICS summit in Russia last October helped revive communication.

Diplomatic engagements between the two nations have since resumed, slowly easing tensions that had halted business and cross-border travel.

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Meanwhile, India's National Security Adviser Ajit Doval is currently in Moscow to hold key discussions on defence cooperation and oil imports. The visit comes ahead of a possible trip by Russian President Vladimir Putin to India and follows Trump's pressure campaign to halt India's Russian crude purchases.

Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar is also expected to visit Russia soon, as India navigates a delicate balancing act between long-standing partners Moscow and Washington.

India's internal government assessment suggests that Trump's tariff hike could wipe out competitiveness in $64 billion worth of exports - 80% of total shipments to the U.S. in 2024. Despite this, the Reserve Bank of India has held GDP growth projections steady at 6.5% for the current fiscal year, indicating confidence that the broader $4 trillion economy can absorb the impact. India exported goods worth an estimated $81 billion to the U.S. last year.

As global alliances shift and trade tensions intensify, Modi's China visit could carry broader geopolitical implications - not just for India-China relations, but for India's role in a rapidly evolving world order.

India, Russia Reaffirm Defence Ties Despite Trump Threat

Earlier on Tuesday India and Russia reaffirmed their commitment to boost bilateral defence cooperation during a meeting between Indian Ambassador Vinay Kumar and Russia's Deputy Defence Minister Colonel-General Alexander Fomin.

According to a statement by the Russian Ministry of Defence, the Indian envoy called on Col-Gen Fomin, who is in charge of international defence cooperation, and the meeting was held in a“warm and friendly atmosphere, customary for Russian-Indian ties”.

“During the conversation, the sides discussed in detail the pertinent issues of bilateral interaction in the sphere of defence and confirmed their intent toward the further strengthening of relevant cooperation in the spirit of particularly privileged strategic partnership,” said the statement. The meeting took place amid US President Donald Trump's threats to slap harsh sanctions on India for buying crude oil from Russia.

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