India and China are partners, not rivals, Modi and Xi say
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Diverging Reports Breakdown
Breaking News LIVE: China’s Xi Pitches 4 Suggestions for Upgrading Relations During Talks With PM Modi
PM Modi and President Xi agreed that India and China are development partners and not rivals. They spoke on expanding bilateral trade and investment ties and reducing the trade deficit. PM Modi invited President Xi to the BRICS summit that India will be hosting in 2026. President Xi thanked PM Modi for the invitation and offered China’s support to India’s BRICS presidency. Xi’s four suggestions to further upgrade bilateral ties were responded to positively by Prime Minister Modi. The two leaders noted the successful disengagement of troops last year and the maintenance of peace and tranquillity along the border areas since then. The pair also discussed the challenge of cross-border terrorism.
TOP POINTS From PM Modi-Xi Talks In Tianjin:
1. Partners, Not Rivals: In talks on the margins of the SCO summit, PM Modi and President Xi agreed that India and China are development partners and not rivals, noting that differences between the two sides should not turn into disputes.
2. Border Talks: PM Modi underlined the importance of peace and tranquillity in the border areas for the continued development of bilateral relations. The two leaders noted with satisfaction the successful disengagement of troops last year and the maintenance of peace and tranquillity along the border areas since then.
3. Cross-Border Terrorism: Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said that PM Modi mentioned the challenge of cross-border terrorism and pitched for extending support to each other to combat it as both India and China have been impacted by the menace. We have received understanding and cooperation from China as we deal with the issue of cross-border terrorism in the context of the ongoing SCO summit, he said at a media briefing.
4. Trade Boost: PM Modi and President Xi recognised the role of their economies to stabilise world trade. They spoke on expanding bilateral trade and investment ties and reducing the trade deficit, according to the Ministry of External Affairs.
5. PM Modi noted that India and China both pursue strategic autonomy, and their relations should not be seen through a third country lens.
6. PM Invites Xi To BRICS Summit: PM Modi invited President Xi to the BRICS summit that India will be hosting in 2026. President Xi thanked PM Modi for the invitation and offered China’s support to India’s BRICS presidency.
7. India Supports China’s Presidency: The MEA said PM Modi expressed support for China’s Presidency of the SCO and the summit in Tianjin.
8. Xi’s 4 Suggestions To Upgrade Ties: The Chinese President made four suggestions to further upgrade bilateral ties. The suggestions are: 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, the foreign secretary said. “All of these were responded to positively by Prime Minister Modi,” he said.
9. PM Modi also made a mention of the resumption of the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra and direct flights between India and China.
10. PM Modi also had a meeting with Cai Qi, Member of the Standing Committee of the Politburo of the Communist Party of China.
The prime minister shared with Cai his vision for bilateral relations and sought his support to realise the vision of the two leaders, the MEA said. “Cai reiterated the Chinese side’s desire to expand bilateral exchanges and further improve relations in line with the consensus reached between the two leaders,” it said
Putin given the red carpet treatment as he discusses Trump talks with Xi on sidelines of China summit
Vladimir Putin is in China for a regional security summit. The Russian leader arrived in the northern Chinese port city of Tianjin on Sunday. It’s believed to be the largest gathering of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation. 20 leaders across Central Asia, Southeast Asia, South Asia, and the Middle East will gather for a powerful show of Global South solidarity. Indian prime minister Narendra Modi has also joined the summit, marking the Indian leader’s first visit to China in seven years. Both Modi and Xi have agreed that India and China are development partners, not rivals. Putin blasted Western sanctions in a written interview with China’s official Xinhua news agency, saying Moscow and Beijing jointly opposed “discriminatory” sanctions in global trade.
The Russian leader arrived in the northern Chinese port city of Tianjin on Sunday for a rare four-day visit to Moscow’s largest trading partner and was met with a warm welcome by top-ranking city officials. Not long after arrival, Putin and Chinese president Xi Jinping held a sideline meeting in which they discussed recent contacts between Moscow and DC, Kremlin aide Yury Ushakov told Russian media without elaborating further.
They have met for a two-day bilateral meeting in which 20 leaders across Central Asia, Southeast Asia, South Asia, and the Middle East will gather for a powerful show of Global South solidarity.
It’s believed to be the largest gathering of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation since the group was established in 2001 among six Eurasian nation.
China remains Russia’s largest trading partner (Copyright 2025 Photo host agency RIA Novosti)
The security-focused bloc has now expanded to 10 permanent members and 16 dialogue and observer countries in recent years, growing its remit from security and counter-terrorism to economic and military cooperation.
Chinese state broadcaster CCTV said that ties between China and Russia are at their “best in history” and have become the “most stable, mature and strategically significant among major countries”.
Indian prime minister Narendra Modi has also joined the summit, marking the Indian leader’s first visit to China in seven years.
Analysts have suggested the two global leaders are seeking to align against pressure from the West days after US president Trump imposed a punitive total of 50 per cent tariff on Indian goods, partly in response to New Delhi’s purchase of Russian oil.
Both Modi and Xi have agreed that India and China are development partners, not rivals, as they discussed ways to improve trade ties amid global tariff uncertainty.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, left, and Chinese President Xi Jinping shake hand before their meeting (AP)
Xi is expected to use the summit to showcase what a post-American led international order could look like, offering a high-profile diplomatic boost for Russia as the country is smarting from sanctions over its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The country is on the brink of recession, caused by trade curbs and the cost of the war.
A day before his visit, Putin blasted Western sanctions in a written interview with China’s official Xinhua news agency, saying Moscow and Beijing jointly opposed “discriminatory” sanctions in global trade.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has warned the war-torn country is planning “deep strikes”, a reference to using long-range missiles either to strike Russia or occupied Ukraine, days after Moscow unleashed a devastating airstrike on Kyiv which killed 23 and hit the British Council building.
“We will continue our active operations in exactly the way needed for Ukraine’s defence. The forces and resources are prepared. New deep strikes have also been planned,” Zelensky said on X after meeting Ukraine’s top general, Oleksandr Syrskyi, without giving further details of the plans.
India and China are partners, not rivals, Modi and Xi say
India and China are development partners, not rivals, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping agreed on Sunday. Meeting between Asian rivals comes five days after punishing US tariffs on India take effect. Analysts say Xi and Modi are seeking to align against pressure from the West, days after U.S. President Donald Trump imposed a punitive total of 50% tariff on Indian goods. Modi is in China for the first time in seven years to attend a two-day meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation regional security bloc, along with Russian President Vladimir Putin and leaders from Iran, Pakistan and four Central Asian states. The nuclear-armed Asian neighbours share a 3,800 km (2,400 miles) border that is poorly demarcated and has been disputed since the 1950s. The leaders also discussed expanding common ground on bilateral, regional, and global issues, and challenges like terrorism and fair trade in multilateral platforms, a statement from the Indian foreign ministry said. They discussed reducing India’s burgeoning bilateral trade deficit of nearly $99.2 billion.
Item 1 of 3 India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi shakes hands with Chinese President Xi Jinping during a meeting on the sidelines of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in Tianjin, China, August 31, 2025. India’s Press Information Bureau/Handout via REUTERS
Summary Xi, Modi discuss expanding trade and investment
Modi says atmosphere of ‘peace and stability’ created on disputed Himalayan border
Meeting between Asian rivals comes five days after punishing US tariffs on India take effect
Xi, Modi seek to present united front against Western pressure
TIANJIN, China, Aug 31 (Reuters) – India and China are development partners, not rivals, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping agreed on Sunday, as they discussed ways to improve trade ties amid global tariff uncertainty.
Modi is in China for the first time in seven years to attend a two-day meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation regional security bloc, along with Russian President Vladimir Putin and leaders from Iran, Pakistan and four Central Asian states in a show of Global South solidarity.
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Analysts say Xi and Modi are seeking to align against pressure from the West, days after U.S. President Donald Trump imposed a punitive total of 50% tariff on Indian goods , partly in response to New Delhi’s purchase of Russian oil.
Trump’s moves hurt decades of carefully cultivated U.S. ties with New Delhi, which Washington had hoped would act as a regional counterweight to Beijing.
Modi told Xi his country was committed to improving ties with China and discussed reducing India’s burgeoning bilateral trade deficit of nearly $99.2 billion, while emphasising the need to maintain peace and stability at their disputed border after a clash in 2020 triggered a five-year military standoff.
“We are committed to progressing our relations based on mutual respect, trust and sensitivities,” Modi said during the meeting on the sidelines of the summit, according to a video posted on his official X account.
He said an atmosphere of “peace and stability” has been created on their disputed Himalayan border and that cooperation between the two nations was linked to the interests of 2.8 billion people of the world’s two most populous countries.
The nuclear-armed Asian neighbours share a 3,800 km (2,400 miles) border that is poorly demarcated and has been disputed since the 1950s.
Xi said that China and India are each other’s development opportunities rather than threats, Chinese state news agency Xinhua reported.
“We must … not let the border issue define the overall China-India relationship,” Xinhua reported Xi as saying.
China-India ties could be “stable and far-reaching” if both sides focus on viewing each other as partners instead of rivals, Xi added.
Ties between the nations were ruptured by the 2020 clash, in which 20 Indian and four Chinese soldiers died in hand-to-hand combat, following which the Himalayan border was heavily militarised by both sides.
Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri told reporters later in the day in that the border situation had evolved over the course of last year, following a patrolling agreement in October. “The situation at the border is moving towards normalisation,” he said.
To a question on the U.S. tariffs, he said that Modi and Xi discussed the international “economic situation” and the challenges it created.
“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,” he said.
The leaders also discussed expanding common ground on bilateral, regional, and global issues, and challenges like terrorism and fair trade in multilateral platforms, a statement from the Indian foreign ministry said.
DIRECT FLIGHTS, TRADE CURBS
Both leaders had a breakthrough meeting in Russia last year after reaching a border patrol agreement, setting off a tentative thaw in ties that has accelerated in recent weeks as New Delhi seeks to hedge against renewed tariff threats from Washington.
Direct flights between both nations, which have been suspended since 2020, are being resumed, Modi added, without providing a timeframe.
China had agreed to lift export curbs on rare earths, fertilisers and tunnel boring machines this month during a key visit to India by China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi.
China opposes Washington’s steep tariffs on India and will “firmly stand with India,” Chinese Ambassador to India Xu Feihong said this month.
In recent months, China has allowed Indian pilgrims to visit Hindu and Buddhist sites in Tibet, and both countries have lifted reciprocal tourist visa restrictions.
“I see the meeting as a step in the direction of incremental improvement. The readouts indicate a lot of mixed political signalling … But there’s also a sense of the need to stabilise the relationship in the context of broader geopolitical currents,” said Manoj Kewalramani, a Sino-Indian relations expert at the Takshashila Institution think tank in Bengaluru.
Other long-term irritants remain in the relationship, too.
China is India’s largest bilateral trade partner, but the long-running trade deficit – a persistent source of frustration for Indian officials – reached a record $99.2 billion this year.
Meanwhile, a planned Chinese mega-dam in Tibet has sparked fears of mass water diversion that could reduce water flows on the major Brahmaputra River by up to 85% in the dry season, according to Indian government estimates.
India also hosts the Dalai Lama, the exiled Tibetan Buddhist spiritual leader whom Beijing views as a dangerous separatist influence. India’s arch-rival Pakistan also benefits from staunch Chinese economic, diplomatic and military support.
Reporting by Laurie Chen and Mei Mei Chu in Tianjin, Shivam Patel in New Delhi, and Liz Lee and Shi Bu in Shanghai; Editing by Michael Perry, Jamie Freed and Louise Heavens
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Modi–Xi’s Tianjin Talks: What Chinese Media Said on Possible India-China Reset
PM Narendra Modi met Xi Jinping in Tianjin after seven years, with Chinese state media hailing the talks as a “dragon and elephant pas de deux.” The meeting between the two leaders comes amid growing global uncertainty and the decision by US President Donald Trump to impose 50 per cent tariffs on imports from India. Xi said China and India should become neighbours on good terms and partners helping each other succeed, The Global Times reported. Chinese journalists covering the summit also commented on the significance of the meeting, with one saying, “SCO provides a good platform to further strengthen India-China relations. Tianjin is an important city’”. The SCO Summit is the fifth time China has been the rotating presidency of the SCO over the past five years, highlighting the scale of the event and the importance of China’s role as a global leader in the organisation. The meeting was held on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit, which took place in the Chinese port city of Tianjin.
Tianjin [China]: As the spotlight shone brightly on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to China after seven years, Chinese state media has given significant coverage to the visit, highlighting both countries’ growing cooperation and proactive approach to foreign policy. The Global Times, a prominent state-run Chinese media outlet, published an article titled “China and India are cooperation partners, not rivals: Xi,” highlighting President Xi Jinping’s remarks about the bilateral meeting, saying, “as long as the two countries stick to this overarching direction, China-India relations can sustain steady and long-term growth.”
Further, the Global Times reported that Xi said China and India should become neighbours on good terms and partners helping each other succeed.
A “cooperative pas de deux of the dragon and the elephant” should be the right choice for the two countries, The Global Times reported, quoting Xi’s oft-repeated phrase ‘The dragon and the elephant’ metaphors for China and India.
PM Modi met with Xi Jinping this morning on the sidelines of the SCO Summit.
In a post on X, PM Modi wrote, “Had a fruitful meeting with President Xi Jinping in Tianjin on the sidelines of the SCO Summit. We reviewed the positive momentum in India-China relations since our last meeting in Kazan. We agreed on the importance of maintaining peace and tranquillity in border areas and reaffirmed our commitment to cooperation based on mutual respect, mutual interest and mutual sensitivity.”
Chinese state-run media outlet Xinhua reported that Xi welcomed PM Modi to the SCO summit, emphasising the importance of the two countries viewing their bilateral ties from a strategic and long-term perspective, pursuing further improvement from the Tianjin meeting onward, and working for their sustained, sound, and steady development.
During his bilateral with PM Modi, Xi Jinping called for strengthening “strategic communication to deepen mutual trust, expand exchanges and win-win cooperation, heed each other’s concerns to seek harmonious coexistence, and enhance multilateral collaboration to safeguard common interests.”
Xi also stressed that the two Asian neighbours must ensure “peace and tranquillity in their border regions, and should not let the border issue define the overall China-India relations.”
The meeting between the two leaders comes amid growing global uncertainty and the decision by US President Donald Trump to impose 50 per cent tariffs on imports from India, including a 25 per cent duty targeting India’s purchase of Russian oil.
Another Chinese news outlet, ‘Xinhua’, highlighted Xi’s remarks framing India and China as two pillars of the Global South.
Apart from state media reports, Chinese journalists covering the summit also commented on the significance of the meeting.
Zhang Xiao, a Hindi-speaking Chinese journalist who introduced herself as “Anjali,” pushed for deeper cooperation between the two nations.
Speaking in fluent Hindi, she said, “We are neighbouring nations and leading developing countries of the world. We are two of the largest economies. Our trade cooperation is extensive…So, the opportunities are immense. We should not have tensions between us. We should join hands and work together…I believe China’s high technology is well-known across the world. We can cooperate on this.”
On the SCO Summit itself, Zhang said, “SCO provides a good platform to further strengthen India-China relations. Tianjin is an important city.”
Another Chinese journalist, Wu Lei, Chief Editor at China-based outlet CGTN, emphasised the importance of the leaders’ commitment to keep the border issue from overshadowing broader ties. “Indian Prime Minister Modi also reaffirmed that the two countries should move on to boost their bilateral ties and border issues shouldn’t be affecting the bilateral relations and the direct flights between the two countries are expected to resume and the hope to expand the collaboration from security to economic and people to people exchanges and as member states of the SCO as well as the BRICS collaboration. They are expected to share more responsibility as global South partners,” Wu said.
Wu added that both leaders’ participation in the SCO was significant in the context of a shifting global order. “They are expected to meet with global leaders and to strengthen the collaboration to uphold multilateralism, especially when the world is facing a lot of challenges, including unilateralism and protectionism. So collaboration upholds solidarity as the key to tackling these problems.”
Highlighting the scale of the event, Wu said, “This is the fifth time for China to hold the SCO summit, and they are going to deliver a Tianjin declaration highlighting the latest results, the fruitful outcome of the SCO over the years. China has been rotating the presidency of the SCO over the last year. Over 100 activities have been held, from agricultural to training to cultural exchanges, even media collaboration. This time, over 3,000 journalists are expected to cover the SCO. You can imagine that the SCO really attracts a lot of global attention.”
Wu also mentioned the summit’s historical dimension, adding, “And these global leaders also expected to release a statement highlighting the world anti-fascist wars, 80th anniversary of the Chinese people’s war against Japanese aggression and world anti-fascist war, as well as the founding of the United Nations. So it’s a very important moment for the whole world to stand together to continue the collaboration and uphold multilateralism.”
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
PM Modi in China Live: Modi to address SCO Summit, hold meeting with Putin – MEA shares update
PM Modi in China for SCO Summit Live Updates. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping have kicked off the 40-minute bilateral meeting. First visuals of the two leader shaking hands are in. PM Modi landed in China on Saturday for the SCO summit, marking his first visit to the country in more than seven years. The trip comes at a sensitive time as India is facing the heat of steep tariffs under US President Donald Trump. For China, it is a stage to show its leadership role among Global South countries. For India it is an opportunity to push for better trade links, stronger connectivity, and joint efforts against terrorism. These steps would naturally make BRICS more economically resilient against US pressure. Discussions may also cover reforming institutions like the UN and IMF, an agenda that appeals to many developing nations looking for fairer representation.
Modi also announced that direct flights between India and China will soon resume, making travel easier between the two countries. Highlighting the importance of cooperation, he stressed that the welfare of nearly 2.8 billion people is closely connected to India-China relations.
PM Modi landed in China on Saturday for the SCO Summit, marking his first visit to the country in more than seven years, signalling India’s efforts to rebuild ties with China. The trip comes at a sensitive time as India is facing the heat of steep tariffs under US President Donald Trump, while memories of past border clashes with China still linger.
Modi, Xi, and Putin at SCO Summit: BRICS under focus
The upcoming high-stakes meeting between the two leaders and Russian President Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit 2025 in Tianjin, carries big weight as the world is closely watching.
Smoother India-China relations are crucial for BRICS to work better, whether for showing unity on a global stage or pushing joint financial projects. With India set to host the 2026 BRICS summit, this thaw at the SCO summit, is especially important.
This meeting gives PM Modi, Xi, and Putin a chance to coordinate their response against Trump rising tariff pressure and sanctions, including reducing dependence on the US dollar. Proposals like boosting the BRICS New Development Bank, creating new payment systems, and expanding energy trade between Russia, India, and China are expected to be discussed. These steps would naturally make BRICS more economically resilient against US pressure.
With BRICS recently adding Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE, the grouping now has greater global weight. Discussions may also cover reforming institutions like the UN and IMF, an agenda that appeals to many developing nations looking for fairer representation.
Why the SCO Summit matters amid Trump’s ‘unfair’ tariffs
This year’s SCO Summit carries extra weight, coming right after Trump imposed steep tariffs on Indian goods, that is 50% on exports and an additional 25% penalty due to India’s purchase of Russian oil. The move appears to have nudged India to work more closely with China and Russia for both economic security and strategic balance.
The summit brings together more than 20 leaders from Central Asia, South Asia, and the Middle East. For China, it is a stage to show its leadership role among Global South countries. For India, it is an opportunity to push for better trade links, stronger connectivity, and joint efforts against terrorism, while carefully managing pressure from Washington.
Experts believe Modi’s participation reflects India’s effort to maintain a working relationship with China, especially as both sides try to calm border tensions. At the same time, the picture of unity at the summit is equally important for Xi and Putin, who see it as a counter to US influence.
Will India be able to navigate a tricky global landscape? Keep following this space for live updates:
Live Updates
PM Modi China Visit Live: PM Modi Meeting with Xi Jinping, Putin Live, China SCO Summit Live News here