Tianjin, September 1 (IANS): Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping met on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in Tianjin, reflecting a pragmatic approach by both nations to prioritise dialogue, confidence-building, and regional cooperation.
According to a report in India Narrative, the two leaders agreed that “mutual trust, respect, and sensitivity” should form the basis of future ties. They discussed measures to maintain stability along the disputed border and announced that direct flights between India and China would soon resume.
PM Modi underlined the importance of peace and tranquility in border areas for the continued development of bilateral relations. He also invited Xi to attend the BRICS Summit, which India will host in 2026. The two leaders reviewed progress since their last meeting in Kazan, Russia, in 2024.
A Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) press release noted the leaders’ satisfaction with last year’s disengagement and the subsequent maintenance of peace along the Line of Actual Control (LAC). They reaffirmed their commitment to a fair and mutually acceptable resolution of the boundary issue and endorsed the decisions taken by Special Representatives earlier this month.
The leaders also stressed the importance of strengthening people-to-people ties through direct flights, visa facilitation, and initiatives such as the resumption of the Kailash Manasarovar Yatra.
Following the meeting, PM Modi posted on X: “Had a fruitful meeting with President Xi Jinping in Tianjin on the sidelines of the SCO Summit. We agreed on the importance of maintaining peace in border areas and reaffirmed our commitment to cooperation based on mutual respect and sensitivity.”
This was Modi’s first visit to China since 2018 and his first since the 2020 Galwan Valley clash. Analysts say the developments mark a cautious but steady thaw in India-China ties.
