India and China are partners, not rivals, Modi and Xi say

India and China Seek Partnership Over Rivalry, Modi and Xi Affirm at SCO Summit

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Xi Jinping signaled a reset in India and China relations on Sunday, affirming that the two nations should be viewed as partners, not rivals.

The meeting took place in Tianjin on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit, Modi’s first visit to China in seven years, where he joined leaders including Vladimir Putin in a show of Global South solidarity.

“We are committed to progressing our relations based on mutual respect, trust, and sensitivities,” Modi said, according to a video shared on his official X account. Xi echoed the sentiment, urging both nations not to let the border issue define their overall relationship.

This dialogue comes at a sensitive time, just days after Washington imposed 50 percent tariffs on Indian goods over New Delhi’s purchases of Russian oil. Analysts suggest that Modi and Xi aimed to project unity against Western economic pressure.

Both leaders noted an “atmosphere of peace and stability” along their disputed Himalayan frontier, where clashes in 2020 had frozen bilateral cooperation. Modi said both sides had agreed on border management mechanisms, while Xi stressed that the relationship could be “stable and far-reaching” if framed around partnership.

The talks also highlighted practical progress. Direct flights between India and China, suspended since 2020, are set to resume, while Beijing has agreed to lift export restrictions on rare earths, fertilizers, and machinery.

China’s Ambassador to India, Xu Feihong, said Beijing would “firmly stand with India” against U.S. tariff hikes. This alignment underscores the evolving strategic balance in Asia, where both nations are recalibrating ties to reduce external vulnerabilities.

China has also eased travel restrictions for Indian pilgrims visiting Buddhist sites in Tibet and restored reciprocal tourist visas, signaling a thaw in people-to-people exchanges.

Despite these advances, long-term irritants remain. India’s trade deficit with China hit a record $99.2 billion this year, fueling economic unease in New Delhi. Environmental concerns also persist, as India warns a planned Chinese mega-dam in Tibet could reduce Brahmaputra River flows by up to 85 percent during dry months.

Additionally, India continues to host the Dalai Lama, a point of tension with Beijing, while Pakistan, a close Chinese ally and India’s regional rival adds further complexity to trilateral dynamics.

The SCO summit brought together over 20 leaders, including Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Masoud Pezeshkian, with discussions ranging from the Ukraine conflict to energy security. Experts note that Russia, facing Western sanctions, is especially eager to leverage SCO as a platform for influence while deepening ties with both India and China.

“Both India and China are engaged in what is likely to be a lengthy and fraught process of defining a new equilibrium in the relationship,” said Manoj Kewalramani of the Takshashila Institution.

As Modi and Xi seek to rebuild trust, their partnership could reshape regional diplomacy, signaling a cautious shift from confrontation toward cooperation.

India-China relations, Modi-Xi meeting, SCO summit, border issue, tariffs on Indian goods, trade deficit, rare earths export, Brahmaputra River dispute.

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