New Delhi: Chinese President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday held bilateral talks on the sidelines of the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi, with both leaders underlining the steady improvement in India-China relations and the need to build on the progress made over the past two years.
The roughly 40-minute meeting marked Xi’s first visit to India in nearly seven years and came as the two countries seek to consolidate a gradual thaw in ties strained by the 2020 Galwan Valley clashes.
Xi Says Ties Have Seen ‘New Elevation’
During the meeting, Xi said bilateral relations had moved from a “new start” or “restart” after their meetings in Kazan in 2024 and Tianjin in 2025 to a “new elevation”.
He highlighted the gradual resumption of institutional exchanges, an expanding agenda for cooperation and the growth in bilateral trade, which he said had reached a new high.
Xi described the progress as hard-won and said the improvement in ties was something that “deserves to be cherished.”
He also stressed that China and India should see each other as partners rather than rivals and treat each other’s development as an opportunity instead of a threat.
Modi Stresses Border Peace, Existing Agreements
Modi, meanwhile, underlined that peace and tranquillity along the border remain essential for the continued development of bilateral relations.
The Prime Minister stressed the importance of adhering to existing agreements and maintaining efforts towards a fair, reasonable and mutually acceptable settlement of the boundary question.
He also reiterated the importance of the “three mutuals” mutual respect, mutual sensitivity and mutual interest as the guiding principles for India-China relations.
Trade, Mobility And People-To-People Ties Discussed
The two leaders also discussed ways to expand economic and people-to-people ties.
Their talks covered greater business linkages, cultural exchanges and mobility between the two countries. The leaders also discussed concerns surrounding trade imbalances and supply chains, with an emphasis on making economic cooperation more balanced.
Both sides also agreed that differences between India and China should not turn into disputes and that the relationship should be viewed from a strategic and long-term perspective.
Focus On Cooperation Amid Border Differences
The meeting comes against the backdrop of sustained efforts by New Delhi and Beijing to stabilise relations while the broader boundary dispute remains unresolved.
Xi also called for greater multilateral coordination between the two countries, including through platforms such as BRICS.
The latest meeting between Modi and Xi signals an effort by both sides to deepen the recent improvement in ties while managing differences through dialogue, border agreements and continued diplomatic engagement.
