Modi Meets Xi Jinping in Tianjin After 7 Years, Invites Him to BRICS 2026 During SCO Summit Discussions
Modi meets Xi Jinping for the second time when he is in Tianjin for the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit. This is his first trip to China in seven years.
Aadrika Tayal 
New Delhi (India) August 31: At the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit in Tianjin, China, on Sunday, world leaders gather for the customary family portrait. The Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin are standing next to Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the front row.
Leaders Gather for SCO Summit
In the port city, Chinese President Xi Jinping and his wife, Peng Liyuan, hosted an event to greet foreign visitors before the 25th annual summit.
At the forum, PM Modi represents India by standing in the first row with Putin, Jinping, Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey, and Mohamed Muizzu, the president of the Maldives. Shehbaz Sharif, the prime minister of Pakistan is also in the front row.
PM Modi and his Pakistani counterpart Sharif are spotted on the same platform for the first time since India's Operation Sindoor precision strikes.
Invitation to BRICS Summit 2026
Chinese President Xi Jinping received an invitation from Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday. The invitation is for attending the BRICS Summit. India will host the meeting in 2026.
According to a Ministry of External Affairs press statement, Chinese President Xi Jinping thanked Prime Minister Modi for the invitation. He also pledged China's support for India's BRICS presidency.
India-China Talks on Border Dispute
PM Modi met with Xi Jinping during the 25th Shanghai Cooperation Council (SCO) Heads of State conference. They discussed a number of important issues, including the border dispute.
During their meeting on Sunday, both presidents emphasized the significance of positive India-China relations. PM Modi made his first trip to China in seven years on Saturday when he arrived for the SCO Summit.
The Ministry of External Affairs stated that PM Modi and Xi Jinping emphasized that the two nations were development partners rather than rivals. The disagreements should not grow into confrontations.
Prime Minister Modi stated that neither China nor India should be viewed as third countries because both countries aim for strategic autonomy.
Bilateral Talks with Myanmar Leader
Prime Minister Narendra Modi also holds bilateral discussions with Senior General Min Aung Hlaing. He is the military chief and acting president of Myanmar.
The two leaders' meeting comes with the announcement by Myanmar's junta government of long-awaited elections. The elections are the first ones to be held in the war-torn nation in almost five years. They will start on December 28.
Aung San Suu Kyi, a Nobel winner, led an elected civilian government. It was overthrown in a coup in 2021.
This year's summit also includes non-member states, such as Observer States, Dialogue Partners, and invited guests. The representatives of international organisations such as the United Nations, ASEAN and the Commonwealth of Independent States will also be present at the SCO Summit. The regular SCO members include China, Russia, India, Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Iran, and Belarus.
