Narendra Modi, the prime minister of India, has sought to reset relations with China, telling President Xi Jinping that New Delhi is committed to improving ties, just days after the United States imposed steep tariffs on Indian goods.
Speaking on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Tianjin on Sunday, Modi said India would build its relationship with China on “mutual respect, trust and sensitivities.” It marked Modi’s first visit to China in seven years and his most conciliatory message to Beijing since deadly border clashes in 2020.
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“We are committed to progressing our relations based on mutual respect, trust and sensitivities,” Modi told Xi. “There is now an atmosphere of peace and stability on our border.”
Xi struck a similar tone, telling Modi that “China and India should be partners, not rivals,” while urging both sides to approach ties “from a strategic height and long-term perspective.” The Chinese leader added that economic development, not territorial disputes, should define the relationship.
The remarks reflect a tentative thaw between the Asian giants after years of tensions over their disputed Himalayan frontier. Flights between the two countries, suspended after the 2020 clashes, are set to resume, Modi announced, though no timeline was given.
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The renewed outreach comes at a moment of strain between India and the United States. Just five days earlier, Washington imposed sweeping tariffs on Indian exports, citing Delhi’s continued purchase of Russian oil. The move has underlined the limits of the Biden–Modi partnership and given New Delhi fresh incentive to recalibrate ties with Beijing.
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The Tianjin summit, attended by more than 20 world leaders including Russian President Vladimir Putin, has been overshadowed by trade frictions with the US and the ongoing war in Ukraine. While largely symbolic, the gathering offers a platform for member states to air grievances against Washington and underscore alternative alliances.
Xi said China hoped to “further elevate” the relationship and pledged to seek ways to resolve the border dispute. “We should not let the border issue define the overall China-India relationship,” he said. “As long as we remain committed to being partners, not rivals, relations will flourish.”
For Modi, the outreach signals a pragmatic shift in India’s foreign policy — a recognition that managing ties with both Washington and Beijing is crucial in navigating a turbulent global order.
