TIANJIN: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has reaffirmed New Delhi’s commitment to improving relations with Beijing during a key meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Tianjin.
“We are committed to strengthening our ties based on mutual respect, trust, and sensitivities,” Modi told Xi, according to a video posted on his official X account on Sunday. This marks Modi’s first visit to China in seven years, where he is attending the two-day SCO gathering alongside Russian President Vladimir Putin and leaders from Central, South and Southeast Asia, and the Middle East, in a strong show of Global South solidarity.
The meeting came just days after Washington slapped 50% tariffs on Indian exports over New Delhi’s continued purchase of Russian oil. Analysts say Modi and Xi are seeking to project unity against mounting Western pressure.
Modi noted that “peace and stability” had returned to the disputed Himalayan frontier, once the site of a deadly 2020 military standoff that froze most areas of cooperation. He added that both sides have agreed on a new framework for border management, without sharing details.
The leaders’ interaction builds on a breakthrough meeting in Russia last year, which eased tensions after a border patrol deal. Ties have warmed further in recent weeks, with China lifting export curbs on key commodities and India preparing to resume direct flights suspended since 2020.
China has also relaxed visa restrictions, reopened Tibetan Buddhist sites for Indian pilgrims, and publicly opposed Washington’s tariffs on India, with Beijing pledging to “stand firmly” with New Delhi.
“India and China are now engaged in a long and difficult process of finding a new balance in their relationship,” said Manoj Kewalramani, a Sino-Indian affairs expert at the Takshashila Institution.
