PM Modi Gets Grand Red Carpet Welcome in Tianjin As All Eyes on SCO Summit Meet

Tianjin: Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Tianjin on Saturday to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit 2025 during his two-day official visit to China.

The Prime Minister received a grand red carpet welcome from Li Lecheng, Minister of I&B and industries, along with representatives from India at Binhai International Airport in Tianjin. This reception also featured a vibrant cultural performance, where artists presented traditional dance forms, showcasing the cultural exchange between India and China.

This marks PM Modi’s first visit to China since the Galwan Valley clashes in 2020, making it a significant diplomatic moment. Over the past year, India and China have taken steps to rebuild ties, including the resumption of trade through the Lipulekh Pass in Uttarakhand, Shipki La Pass in Himachal Pradesh, and Nathu La Pass in Sikkim.

The SCO currently comprises 10 members, including India, China, Russia, Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Iran, and Belarus, alongside several other observers. India became a full member in 2017 after serving as an observer since 2005. Notably, during its membership period, India has held the SCO Council of Heads of Government in 2020 and the Council of Heads of State from 2022 to 2023.

During his visit, PM Modi is scheduled to participate in the SCO Summit and hold bilateral meetings with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping.

This SCO summit is crucial for India, as it comes after the US imposed 50 per cent tariffs and a 25 per cent tariff on New Delhi for buying Russian crude oil.

People of the Indian diaspora in China were eagerly waiting to meet Prime Minister Modi. 

Among them, Puran Chand Jaiswani, who has been living in China for 20 years, said, “We will meet PM Narendra Modi after seven years and are eagerly awaiting his arrival. Many of us have travelled from South China to welcome him.” 

Additionally, Chinese performers trained in Indian classical dance expressed their excitement. Zhang Jinghu, who has studied Odissi since childhood, shared, “I feel classical dance is like an ocean. Introducing it to Chinese students has been an honour. Performing in front of PM Modi is a big moment.”

Another performer, Jin Shanshan (Eesha), who has been learning Bharatnatyam since 1994, said, “For today’s program, we prepared for a month and created a new item. More people in China are now learning and enjoying Bharatnatyam. It is a proud moment to perform for him.”

With cultural warmth and diplomatic anticipation, PM Modi’s Tianjin visit is being closely watched as India looks to strengthen regional cooperation under the SCO framework.