Overview of PM Narendra Modi’s Visit to China from August 31 to September 01, 2025

After concluding his visit to Japan, Prime Minister (PM) of India, Narendra Modi undertook a 2-day official visit to China from August 31 to September 01, 2025 as 2nd leg of his two-nation tour, at the invitation of Xi Jinping, President of China.

• He arrived in Tianjin, northern port city of China to attend the 25th Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit. This marked his 1st official visit to China since 2018.

Key Highlights of PM Narendra Modi’s Visit to China:

PM Narendra Modi Attended 25th SCO Summit:

He addressed the plenary session of the 25th meeting of the Council of Heads of State (CHS) of the SCO held in Tianjin, highlighting India’s efforts to strengthen cooperation within the SCO framework

• He also proposed commencing a Civilizational Dialogue Forum within the group to promote greater people-to-people ties and cultural understanding.

Bilateral Meeting with Global Leaders:

Meeting with Chinese President: On August 31 2025, PM Narendra Modi held a bilateral meeting with Xi Jinping, China’s President in Tianjin, on the sidelines of the summit.

• He extended India’s support for China’s Presidency of the SCO and also invited President Xi Jinping to 18th BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) Summit that will be hosted by India in 2026.

Meeting with Russian President : On the sidelines of SCO Summit, PM Narendra Modi held a bilateral meeting with Vladimir Putin, President of Russia, in Tianjin (China).

• During the meeting, both leaders discussed various areas of bilateral cooperation such as: economic, financial, and energy.
• Also, both leaders reaffirmed their commitment for further bolstering of the Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership between the two countries.

Meeting with Kazakhstan President: He also held a bilateral meeting with Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, President of Kazakhstan. During the meeting, discussions were held across various areas of cooperation such as: energy, security, healthcare, and pharmaceuticals, among others.

Key Highlights of 25th SCO Meetings:

Presidency: China, 2025 Chair of the SCO, hosted the 25th meeting of the SCO-CHS was held from August 31 to September 1, 2025 at the Meijiang International Convention and Exhibition Center under the presidency of Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Theme: ‘Upholding the Shanghai Spirit: SCO on the Move’.

Key Participants: The SCO summit saw the participation of 20 foreign leaders including 10 leaders from SCO member countries.

• Leaders from SCO member nations: Narendra Modi, PM of India; Vladimir Putin, President of Russia; Masoud Pezeshkian; Shehbaz Sharif, PM of Pakistan; Alexander Lukashenko, President of Belarus; Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, President of Kazakhstan; Shavkat Mirziyoyev, President of Uzbekistan; Sadyr Japarov, President of Kyrgyzstan; and Emomali Rahmon, President of Tajikistan.
• Heads of International Organisations: The summit also saw the participation of heads of 10 international organisations including, Antonio Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations (UN); and Kao Kim Hourn, Secretary-General of Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

SCO Plus Meeting: After the conclusion of SCO-CHS meeting, SCO Plus meeting was held in Tianjin, China, on the topic ‘Turning Multilateralism into Action, Ensuring Regional Security, and Promoting Sustainable Development’.

Key Outcomes of 25th SCO-CHS:

New Dialogue Partner: On September 01 2025, the CHS of SCO member nations granted the status of SCO dialogue partner to Laos People’s Democratic Republic (PDR).

• Also, SCO’s member nations merged the observer and dialogue partners status into the single status i.e. ‘SCO partner status’.
• Following the inclusion of Laos as dialogue partner, the SCO grouping now comprises 10 members and 17 partners including,  2 observers: Mongolia and Afghanistan; and 15 dialogue partners: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Cambodia, Egypt, Kuwait, the Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal, Qatar, Saudi Arabia,  Sri Lanka, Turkey, Laos PDR and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Key Announcements by China: On the sidelines of the summit, Xu Feihong, China’s Ambassador to India announced several initiatives that China will launch for the benefit of SCO member states.

• 100 Small Livelihood Projects: He announced that China is planning to implement 100 ‘Small and Beautiful’ Livelihood Projects in countries of SCO member states.
• Pledged RMB 2 billion Yuan: China has further pledged Renminbi (RMB) 2 billion Yuan in grants to SCO member states in 2025; and will provide additional RMB 10 billion yuan in loans to the member banks of the SCO Interbank Consortium over the next 3 years.
• Scholarships and PhD Programmes: China will double the number of SCO-specific scholarships from next year onwards and has also decided to launch an SCO Innovative Doctor of Philosophy(PhD) programme to jointly train high-caliber talent in academics as well as scientific and technological research.
• 10 Luban Workshops in next 5 Years: China will establish 10 Luban Workshops in SCO member states and provide 10,000 human resources training opportunities.

Adoption of Tianjin Declaration: During the SCO Summit, CHS of SCO signed and unanimously adopted the Tianjin Declaration, which outlines commitment among member states on Artificial Intelligence (AI), among others.

• This newly adopted declaration is based on the United Nations General Assembly(UNGA) Resolution on AI capacity building and highlighted that all countries have equal rights to develop and use AI.
• As per this declaration, SCO members including India, pledged to work together to prevent risks and improve the security, accountability, transparency, and fairness of AI technologies for the benefit of humanity.
• Also, they endorsed the Roadmap for the implementation of the SCO Member States’ Cooperation Programme on AI Development, adopted on June 12, 2025 in Chengdu (China).
• Through this declaration, member states of SCO delivered a comprehensive statement of unity against terrorism and acknowledged India’s contributions to regional peace and development.

Other Key Announcements:

Tourist Cultural Capital 2025-26: The member nations of SCO has designated Cholpon-Ata, city in Kyrgyzstan as the ‘Tourist and Cultural Capital of the SCO’ for 2025-26.

Key Agreements: Several agreements were signed between SCO member states on topics like: SCO Anti-Drug Center and the Universal Center for Countering Challenges and Threats to the Security of SCO Member States.

Next Presidency: : At the conclusion of SCO Summit, Kyrgyzstan assumed the SCO’s rotating chairmanship for 2025-26.

• Also, 26th SCO-CHS meeting will be held in Bishkek, the capital city of Kyrgyzstan, under the theme ’25 Years of the SCO: together for a stable world, development, and prosperity’.
• While, Pakistan will hold the SCO’s rotating chairmanship for 2026-27 and will host the 27th SCO-CGHS meeting in its capital city, Islamabad.

About Shanghai Cooperation Organisation(SCO):

Formation: It was established on 15th June, 2001 by 6 founding member countries: Kazakhstan, China, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Russia.

Member States: China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, India, Pakistan, Iran and Belarus (became 10th member of the group in 2024).

Significance: The member states of SCO account for 23% of world’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), along with 43% of global population.

About China:
President- Xi Jinping
Capital- Beijing
Currency–  Renminbi (RMB)