Opinion | Tianjin test: Modi to meet Xi amid fragile reset
Summary
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping at the SCO summit in Tianjin amid ongoing efforts to reset fragile bilateral ties affected by border conflicts and trade issues. Economic interdependence, especially in manufacturing and trade, remains central to their complex relationship.
Key Points
- Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit China’s Tianjin for the SCO summit on August 31, meeting President Xi Jinping amid cautious efforts to reset bilateral ties.
- Bilateral relations have been strained since the 2020 border clashes in Eastern Ladakh, with a recent Patrolling Agreement aiming to ease military tensions.
- India faces a significant trade imbalance with China, heavily reliant on imports of components and machinery critical to domestic manufacturing and infrastructure.
- India’s Make in India initiative and Production Linked Incentives aim to reduce dependency, but in the short to medium term, China remains integral to India’s supply chains.
- There is ongoing dialogue about easing restrictions and promoting collaboration, though market access issues and non-tariff barriers from China persist.
