(MENAFN) Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will make his first visit to China in seven years, as confirmed by a statement from the Indian government. Modi will travel to China from August 31 to September 1 to participate in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit in Tianjin. The visit follows an invitation from Chinese President Xi Jinping.

This marks Modi’s first visit to China since 2018. The SCO, which was founded in 2001, includes 10 member nations: China, Russia, India, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and Belarus. China is currently presiding over the organization.

According to the Indian Ministry of External Affairs, Modi is slated to hold a series of bilateral discussions with various leaders attending the summit.

The visit comes amidst ongoing efforts by both New Delhi and Beijing to de-escalate tensions that spiked following a deadly border clash in 2020. The conflict, which took place along the contested Jammu and Kashmir border, resulted in the deaths of 20 Indian soldiers and four Chinese soldiers.

In a notable sign of thawing relations, India resumed issuing tourist visas to Chinese nationals last month, the first time since 2020 that tourist visa applications have been reopened.

Before heading to China, Modi will visit Japan from August 29 to 30 for the 15th India-Japan Annual Summit, the statement added.

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