Hours after Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping meeting on Sunday morning in the Chinese city of Tianjin, the Ministry of External Affairs said in a press briefing that both leaders discussed in a meeting that India and China are partners and not rivals.
As per MEA, the two leaders further agreed that the two countries were of view that “differences should not be allowed to be turned into disputes”. Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, in a briefing to media, said both leaders “expressed commitment to a fair, reasonable, and mutually acceptable resolution of the boundary question” and noted the successful disengagement last year, emphasising “peace and tranquillity on the border areas for continued and smooth development of bilateral relations.”
On strategic ties, Xi proposed to “strengthen strategic communication and deepen mutual trust, to expand exchanges and cooperation, to achieve mutual benefit and win-win results, to accommodate each other’s concerns, and finally to strengthen multilateral cooperation,” which Modi responded to positively. Modi also invited Xi to the BRICS Summit in 2026, and, he said, “President Xi…offered China’s full support to India’s BRICS presidency.”
The meeting took place ahead of the Heads of State summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), hosted by China this year.
Here are six major points on the meeting as announced in MEA briefing:
- 01
Peace and tranquillity at borders
“Both leaders expressed commitment to a fair, reasonable, and mutually acceptable resolution of the boundary question proceeding from the political perspective of their overall bilateral relations and in the long-term interests of the two peoples. Amongst other issues, the two leaders also exchanged views on ways to increase and balance bilateral trade, strengthen people-to-people ties, cooperate on trans-border rivers, and jointly fight terrorism. There was a desire to make additional progress on all of these issues on the basis of mutual respect, mutual interests, and mutual sensitivity…,” Misri said.
“They took note of the successful disengagement last year and the maintenance of peace and tranquillity in the border regions since then. In voicing certain principles related to this issue. The Prime Minister underlined the need for peace and tranquillity on the border areas for continued and smooth development of bilateral relations. There was understanding on the need to maintain peace on the borders using the existing mechanisms and avoid disturbances to the overall relationship going forward,” Misri added.
- 02
Upgrading strategic relations
On strengthening ties, Misri noted, “President Xi made four suggestions to further upgrade bilateral relations, namely to strengthen strategic communication and deepen mutual trust, to expand exchanges and cooperation, to achieve mutual benefit and win-win results, to accommodate each other’s concerns, and finally to strengthen multilateral cooperation to safeguard common interests and all of these were responded to positively by Prime Minister Modi…”
- 03
BRICS 2026 invitation
PM Modi has formally invited Chinese President to the BRICS Summit that India will be hosting in 2026. “PM invited President Xi to the BRIC Summit that India will be hosting in 2026. President Xi thanked Prime Minister for the invitation and offered China’s full support to India’s BRICS presidency,” Misri said.
- 04
Partners, not rivals
On the overall bilateral outlook, Misri said, “They both agreed that the two countries were primarily focused on their domestic development goals, and in this, they were partners rather than rivals. It was also an element of consensus between them that a stable and amicable relationship between India and China can be to the benefit of the 2.8 billion people who live in the two countries. The common interests of the two countries outweigh their differences and the two leaders also shared a consensus on the fact that differences should not be allowed to be turned into disputes. It was also understood that it is critical that India and China grow and cooperate if there is to be an Asian century and a functioning multipolar world order with a multipolar Asia at its heart.”
- 05
Global trade challenges
On whether US tariffs were discussed during the bilateral meeting, Misri said, “…the two leaders discussed the international economic situation. They recognised the challenges that flow as a result of what we see happening around us. The focus of the discussion remained in the bilateral domain. Of course, they recognise what’s happening on the international plane and the challenges it creates, but they tried to see how to leverage that for building greater understanding between themselves and how to take forward the economic and commercial relationship between India and China in the midst of these evolving challenges.”
- 06
Cross border terrorism
Misri also said that cross border terrorism was mentioned by PM Modi during talks with President Xi. “Cross-border terrorism was mentioned by the Prime Minister as a priority. He did underline the fact that this is something that impacts both India and China, and that it’s important, therefore, that we extend understanding and support to each other as both of us combat cross-border terrorism. I would, in fact, like to say that we have received the understanding and cooperation of China as we have dealt with the issue of cross-border terrorism in the context of the ongoing SCO Summit,” Misri said.
