Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday began bilateral talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Tianjin on the sidelines of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) meeting amid Trump’s tariff turmoil.
Modi’s visit to China, his first in seven years, comes at a time when New Delhi and Beijing are trying to reset relations strained by the eastern Ladakh border standoff.
Alongside Modi, present at the meeting were National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, foreign secretary Vikram Misri among other SCO officials. Notably, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar did not attend the crucial bilateral talks.
In his opening remarks ahead of the meeting, PM Modi said that last year’s talks in Kazan were very fruitful and also noted the agreement reached for MAnsarovar yatra, border peace and direct commute. “Last year in Kazan, we had very fruitful discussions which gave a positive direction to our relations. After the disengagement on the border, an atmosphere of peace and stability has been created.”
He added, “An agreement has been reached between our Special Representatives regarding border management. Kailash Mansarovar Yatra has been resumed. Direct flights between the two countries are also being resumed. The interests of 2.8 billion people of both countries are linked to our cooperation. This will also pave the way for the welfare of the entire humanity. We are committed to taking our relations forward on the basis of mutual trust, respect and sensitivity.”
The two leaders are expected to review economic engagement and discuss measures to normalise ties that have faced multiple challenges since the Galwan Valley clashes in June 2020. India is expected to press China for fair trade arrangements and continued access to critical imports, including rare earths, fertilisers and industrial equipment. The two sides are also set to back plans for resuming direct flights, streamlining visa processes and drawing up a calendar of events to mark 75 years of diplomatic relations.
The Indian leader is in China primarily to attend the two-day SCO summit, but the meeting with Xi has drawn particular attention against the backdrop of trade frictions between India and the United States following the Trump administration’s tariff policies.
The meeting also comes after India received a ‘secret’ letter from Xi to test the waters on improving ties, Bloomberg had reported. The letter expressed concern about any US deals that would harm China’s interests and named a provincial official who would steer Beijing’s efforts, the person said, adding that the message was sent across to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Ahead of his trip, Modi had opened up on the importance of cooperation between India and China in maintaining stability in the global economy. In an interview with Japan’s The Yomiuri Shimbun, he said, “Given the current volatility in world economy, it is also important for India and China, as two major economies, to work together to bring stability to the world economic order.”
The visit follows Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi’s trip to New Delhi earlier this month, during which he held talks with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval. Both sides then announced steps for what they called a “stable, cooperative and forward-looking” relationship, including joint efforts to maintain peace along the disputed frontier, reopening of border trade, and early resumption of direct flight services.
In recent months, New Delhi and Beijing have signalled willingness to rebuild trust through incremental measures after years of friction. The outcome of Modi’s talks with Xi is being closely watched for signs of whether the two sides can move towards a sustainable reset.
