On Friday, China expressed its approval of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s forthcoming visit to Tianjin for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit scheduled for later this month. This will mark PM Modi’s first journey to China since 2019. Guo Jiakun, spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry, stated that the summit, taking place from August 31 to September 1, will feature participation from leaders of more than 20 countries, including all SCO member states and heads of 10 international organizations. Describing it as the largest SCO meeting since the organization’s establishment, Guo Jiakun remarked, “We believe the summit will be a gathering of solidarity, friendship, and fruitful outcomes.” PM Modi is anticipated to arrive in Tianjin following a visit to Japan, where he will engage in the annual India-Japan Summit with Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba on August 30. This trip occurs amidst escalating geopolitical tensions, including US President Donald Trump’s criticisms of Brics nations—many of which are SCO members—for purchasing Russian oil.
Russia is expected to send representatives to the summit, although it remains uncertain whether President Vladimir Putin will be in attendance. In June, India declined to endorse an SCO defense ministers’ document that, according to sources, failed to reference the Pahalgam terror attack that resulted in 26 fatalities, while it did mention unrest in Pakistan’s Balochistan province. Nevertheless, in July, China vehemently condemned the Pahalgam attack, advocating for enhanced regional counterterrorism collaboration. The SCO currently comprises nine member states: China, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Iran, and Uzbekistan.
