Page 4 - The Indian EYE 090525

COVER STORY SEPTEMBER 05, 2025 | The Indian Eye 4

INDIA’S BALANCING ACT

NEW PATHWAYS

IN ASIA

As Trump’s tariffs squeeze India, New Delhi deepens ties with China, strengthens economic
bonds with Japan, and champions the Global South

OUR BUREAU
New Delhi / Tokyo
rime Minister Narendra Modi’s
visit to China for the Shang-
Phai Cooperation Organization
(SCO) Summit in Tianjin marks a
subtle but important recalibration in
India-China relations. While recent
years have witnessed tension along
the Himalayan frontier, Modi’s state-
ment before departure emphasized
the need for “stable, predictable, and
amicable bilateral relations” with Bei-
jing. He argued that two of the world’s
largest economies and most populous
nations cannot afford volatility, espe-
cially in an already fragile global or-
der.
PM Modi landed in Tokyo on Fri-
day morning on a two-day visit. From
Japan, he goes to China for the SCO
summit meeting in Tianjin.
The emphasis on stability signals
a recognition that outright rivalry
with China is unsustainable. Instead,
India appears to be pushing for com-
partmentalization—contesting Bei- Prime Minister Narendra Modi exchanges a handshake with Japan Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba during the India-Japan Business Event, in
jing on border issues but cooperating Tokyo on Friday (DPR PMO/ANI Photo)
on global platforms like the SCO,
BRICS, and climate negotiations. For
India, engaging China is less about structure, and technology. In essence, while also seeking avenues for cooper- dia’s diplomacy in the months ahead.
concession and more about position- Modi’s China outreach is a calculated ation in trade, energy, and multilateral
ing itself as a responsible power in a attempt to balance confrontation with frameworks. With Putin, the agenda is INDIA’S ECONOMIC STRATEGY
multipolar Asia. cautious engagement. expected to cover defense ties, energy
This pragmatism also stems from All eyes will be on Tianjin this cooperation, and India’s role in bal- f China embodies competition and
economic imperatives. With Trump’s Sunday, where the Shanghai Coop- ancing Russia’s growing tilt toward caution, Japan represents trust
tariff war threatening Indian exports eration Organization (SCO) Summit Beijing. Iand long-term partnership. Modi’s
to the U.S., New Delhi needs to di- will host a series of crucial bilateral For India, the SCO platform pro- visit to Tokyo for the 15th India-Japan
versify trade partnerships. China, meetings. Prime Minister Narendra vides an opportunity not only to shape Annual Summit underscored this re-
despite being a competitor, remains Modi is expected to meet both Chi- collective responses to regional secu- ality. Standing alongside Prime Min-
an essential player in supply chains nese President Xi Jinping and Rus- rity challenges—such as terrorism and ister Shigeru Ishiba, Modi declared
and regional growth. By strengthen- sian President Vladimir Putin on the supply-chain vulnerabilities—but also a goal of ¥10 trillion in Japanese in-
ing channels of dialogue, India seeks sidelines of the gathering. With Xi, the to reinforce its position as a strategic vestments into India over the next
to prevent disputes from derailing focus will likely be on stabilizing a re- actor in a multipolar Asia. Sunday’s decade, with focus areas ranging from
broader cooperation in energy, infra- lationship strained by border tensions, engagements could set the tone for In- Continued on next page... >>

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