Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s upcoming visit to China for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Tianjin from August 31 to September 1 marks his first trip to the country in seven years. According to Indian media reports, this engagement may also provide him an opportunity to meet President Xi Jinping for the first time since their brief encounter in Russia 10 months ago. The timing is significant. It comes at a moment when India’s relations with the United States, once touted as a rising strategic partnership, have been strained by Washington’s growing protectionism. The latest flashpoint: US President Donald Trump’s decision to impose 50% tariffs on Indian goods, ostensibly over New Delhi’s continued purchase of Russian oil.

India-China relations have been in a deep freeze since the deadly June 2020 Galwan Valley clash, which resulted in the loss of lives on both sides and pushed the relationship to its lowest point in decades. However, over the past year, there have been cautious but deliberate steps towards thawing ties. China has reopened access to Tibet for Indian pilgrims, whereas India has eased visa restrictions for Chinese travellers, and both sides have signalled intent to restore direct flights.

Defence and foreign ministers of both nations have met in recent months, and the latest round of border talks was described as “positive" by diplomats. These are not signs of trust restored, but they are indications of mutual recognition that perpetual hostility is strategically costly.

India joined the SCO in 2017, but its engagement has been uneven,........

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