Chinese language International Instances quotes Hindu proverb to hail PM Modi’s Beijing go to: ‘Assist your brother’s boat…’

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is anticipated to go to China from August 31 to September 1 to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Tianjin, marking his first go to to China in seven years. Whereas the go to has not been formally confirmed, a number of Indian media retailers have cited knowledgeable sources, sparking important worldwide consideration.

If the go to materialises, it is going to be seen as a diplomatic milestone in reviving bilateral ties that had hit a low level following the 2020 Galwan border conflict.

Warming ties after years of tensions

Relations between India and China have proven indicators of enchancment in current months. After years of strained ties, a collection of high-level visits by Indian officers—together with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Exterior Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Nationwide Safety Advisor Ajit Doval—counsel a thaw within the diplomatic freeze.

In October 2024, a gathering between Prime Minister Modi and Chinese language President Xi Jinping in Kazan laid the groundwork for renewed engagement. Each side agreed that India and China are improvement companions, not threats or opponents. Since then, people-to-people exchanges have resumed, with India reissuing vacationer visas for Chinese language nationals and China reopening entry to the Kailash-Mansarovar pilgrimage route.

International Instances editorial welcomes Modi, however with caveats

China’s state-run newspaper International Instances responded to information of Modi’s potential go to with a cautiously optimistic editorial. The paper acknowledged the current momentum in bilateral relations but in addition expressed considerations about obstacles created by India.

These embrace India’s evaluation and restriction of Chinese language investments, limitations on visas for Chinese language technical consultants, and the delayed resumption of direct flights. International Instances warned that with out addressing these boundaries, rebuilding belief will stay tough.

The editorial quoted a Hindu proverb: “Assist your brother’s boat throughout, and your individual will attain the shore.”

The editorial emphasised that if PM Modi’s go to can tackle these points, it might turn out to be a pivotal second in deepening bilateral cooperation.

Timing amid US tariff warfare raises hypothesis

The timing of Modi’s reported China journey is important, coming simply days after US President Donald Trump introduced a 50% tariff on Indian imports. The transfer was reportedly linked to India’s continued oil imports from Russia, which Washington claimed posed a “nationwide safety menace.”

In response, Prime Minister Modi has reportedly taken a agency stance, making it clear that India will defend its financial pursuits and never bow to strain. The Chinese language media has interpreted Modi’s diplomatic shift as a reaffirmation of India’s impartial overseas coverage.

International Instances dismissed Western hypothesis that Modi’s go to is a strategic hedge towards america, stating that China-India relations are based mostly on shared pursuits and long-standing historic logic — not opposition to a 3rd celebration.

Shared pursuits, shared future

As two of the world’s largest rising economies, China and India share overlapping pursuits in commerce, counterterrorism, and regional improvement. Each are main voices within the International South and play essential roles in multilateral platforms just like the SCO.

A profitable go to by PM Modi might function a catalyst for better cooperation in these areas and sign the start of a brand new part in China-India relations — typically metaphorically known as “the dragon and the elephant dancing collectively”.