Chinese President Xi Jinping reached out to India with a message of peace. He stressed that cooperation between their nations affects the lives of 2.8 billion people. Xi met with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and called friendship between their countries “the right choice”. Both leaders showed willingness to improve relations despite ongoing tensions along their 2,100-mile de facto border, the Line of Actual Control.
The diplomatic climate has improved noticeably. Modi pointed out that an “atmosphere of peace and stability” now exists between these Asian powers. Their meeting happened at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit. China, Russia, and four Central Asian nations created the SCO in 2001 to balance Western alliances like NATO. The relationship between India and China continues to evolve. India faces fresh challenges from the West, especially after the United States doubled its planned 25% tariffs to 50% on Indian exports in early August. These harsh measures could potentially bring India closer to China, even though they have had their differences in the past.
Xi Jinping urges India to embrace partnership
Image Source: Georgia Public Broadcasting
Chinese President Xi Jinping painted a transformative picture of India-China relations at their high-stakes meeting in China. He positioned both nations as “cooperation partners, not rivals” and envisioned their relationship becoming “promising, stable and far-reaching”.
Chinese president Xi Jinping calls for ‘dragon and elephant’ unity
The Chinese leader used powerful symbols to strengthen ties between these Asian giants. “It is vital to be friends, a good neighbor, and the Dragon and the Elephant to come together,” he declared. His metaphorical language painted a vision of partnership between the world’s two most populous nations.
Both countries should see each other as “development opportunities rather than threats,” Xi emphasized. Their relationship boils down to “essentially a question of how the two large developing countries and neighbors, each with a 1.4-billion-strong population, treat each other”.
Xi Jinping quotes highlight shared development goals
“China and India are at a critical stage of development and revitalisation, and should focus on development,” Xi remarked. Development emerged as a recurring theme in his speech. “Development is now the biggest shared goal of China and India”.
Both nations must “shoulder their international responsibility” and “set an example in boosting the strength and unity of developing countries”. They need to “step up to our historic responsibilities to uphold multilateralism, a multipolar world, and more democracy in international institutions”.
Xi drew attention to a key diplomatic milestone. “This year marks the 75th anniversary of China-India diplomatic ties”.
Meeting held on sidelines of SCO summit in Tianjin
The leaders spent an hour in bilateral talks in Tianjin on August 31, 2025, during the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit. Modi’s first visit to China in seven years marked a breakthrough in diplomacy.
Border issues “should not be the defining factor in China-India ties,” Xi told Modi. Their relationship needed a “strategic and long-term perspective”. Both leaders expressed satisfaction with successful troop disengagement along border areas after the 2020 standoff.
Modi signals willingness to reset ties
Image Source: CNN
Prime Minister Narendra Modi welcomed Chinese diplomatic gestures, showing India’s willingness to rebuild ties with its northern neighbor. The Tianjin meeting marked a substantial transformation in diplomatic relations since the deadly border clashes in 2020. Both leaders seemed pleased with the progress made recently.
Modi emphasizes mutual trust and respect
During his talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping, Modi expressed India’s stance clearly: “We are committed to advancing our relations based on mutual trust, respect and sensitivity”. He believed that cooperation between India and China would “pave the way for the welfare of the entire humanity”. The well-being of 2.8 billion people in both nations depends on their cooperation.
Modi pointed out that after troops disengaged, “an atmosphere of peace and stability has been created” along the border. Special Representatives from both countries reached an agreement on border management. He seemed satisfied with the peaceful conditions since the disengagement process.
India announces resumption of direct flights
Modi’s announcement about resuming direct flights between India and China marked a real step toward normal relations. These flights stopped in 2020, first because of COVID-19 restrictions and later due to border tensions.
Direct flights will substantially boost tourism and business travel between both countries. Travelers previously faced high airfares and long travel times through South and Southeast Asian hubs. The current passenger traffic between India and China remains nowhere near pre-2019 levels.
Pilgrimage sites in Tibet reopened for Indian citizens
The reopening of the Kailash-Mansarovar pilgrimage route for Indian citizens adds another positive development. Chinese authorities restricted Indian pilgrims from visiting Kailash-Mansarovar in October 2019 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Both countries reached an understanding six months ago. The pilgrimage will restart in mid-June after five years. Chinese officials agreed to give permits to 20,000 Indian tourists who want to visit these sacred sites. The Kailash-Mansarovar area holds deep religious importance for Hindu and Buddhist pilgrims from India and Nepal.
US tariffs push India and China closer
Image Source: CNN
Economic tensions between Washington and New Delhi have altered Asia’s geopolitical map. US trade policies have created ripple effects that bring two longtime rivals closer as they face similar challenges.
Trump imposes 50% tariffs on Indian goods
The US doubled tariffs on Indian imports to 50% in August 2025, making them among the highest imposed on any US trading partner. This harsh measure combines a 25% base tariff with an extra 25% penalty that specifically targets India’s ongoing purchase of Russian oil and defense hardware. These tariffs affect roughly two-thirds of India’s AED 317.62bn yearly exports to the US. The changes could erase up to one percentage point from India’s GDP growth, economists warn. Export volumes in labor-intensive sectors like textiles, jewelry, seafood, and leather might plummet by 70%, dropping from AED 221.05bn to AED 68.30bn.
India and China share grievances over US trade policies
Both Asian giants now find themselves united in their complaints against American trade policies. China faces even steeper US tariffs—up to 145% on some goods. The Chinese ambassador to New Delhi made a rare public statement defending India and called the US a “bully”. Trade between India and China reached AED 434.76 billion in fiscal year 2024, showing their economic interdependence despite their political differences.
Putin-Xi Jinping alignment adds pressure on India
The Putin-Xi Jinping relationship makes the situation more complex. Their “no limits partnership” signed in 2022 puts strategic pressure on India. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi told EU representatives that “Russia cannot be allowed to lose the war against Ukraine”. Russia now supplies about 40% of India’s oil needs—a dramatic increase from less than 1% before the Ukraine conflict. This three-way dynamic forces India to carefully balance its traditional ties with Russia against worsening US relations.
Border tensions ease but mistrust lingers
Image Source: PBS
Peace remains delicate along the world’s longest unmarked border, and historical tensions continue to loom large despite efforts by Chinese President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Modi to normalize relations. Diplomatic gestures point to warmer ties, yet the border situation needs careful handling.
2020 Galwan Valley clash still casts a shadow
A violent clash in eastern Ladakh’s Galwan Valley during June 2020 changed India-China relations forever. This watershed moment marked the first deadly conflict since 1975, with at least 20 Indian and four Chinese soldiers losing their lives [51, 52]. The boundary question became central to both countries’ relationship, and India’s policymakers started to think about Beijing’s true intentions.
Military disengagement agreements reached
All the same, October 2024 brought a major breakthrough when both nations finalized an agreement about patrolling arrangements along the LAC in Depsang and Demchok areas. India’s Foreign Secretary confirmed this agreement resolved problems dating back to 2020. Modi and Xi later gave their formal approval to this arrangement during their Kazan meeting in Russia. India’s External Affairs Minister stated the agreement restored patrolling rights similar to pre-2020 conditions.
Experts warn of deep-rooted strategic rivalry
Analysts remain wary despite these developments. The border deal shows progress but leaves territorial grievances unresolved. Both nations currently station 50,000-60,000 troops along the frontier. Chinese observers admit that temporary relief from tensions does not address the structural differences between both countries. Security experts believe future standoffs remain possible without concrete confidence-building measures.
The latest diplomatic talks between China and India mark a turning point in their complex history. Xi Jinping and Modi have shown their commitment to move from confrontation to cooperation. They understand what’s possible when nations representing 2.8 billion people work together. Direct flights have resumed and pilgrimage routes have reopened, which shows real progress beyond just talk.
The warming of relations comes as global dynamics keep changing, especially when US trade policies force both Asian giants to think over their strategic positions. Washington’s 50% tariffs on Indian exports create common ground with China, which has faced similar treatment for years. These economic pressures speed up the diplomatic healing that would have taken much longer otherwise.
Both countries have made positive steps, but challenges still exist. The 2020 Galwan Valley clash remains fresh in memory, though recent agreements to pull back troops show real improvement. Border disputes and fundamental differences need careful handling. Large military forces stay positioned along their shared border, which suggests caution behind the diplomatic smiles.
These Asian giants will shape regional politics for decades. Xi’s “dragon and elephant” metaphor captures how China and India’s partnership could transform not just their relationship but the whole international system. They share a vision focused on development, working together, and giving developing nations a stronger voice in global decisions.
This diplomatic warming shows careful adjustment rather than complete change. Both countries see their shared interests as global alliances shift, but past mistrust means they must take careful steps forward. Time will tell if this renewed relationship can handle future challenges or if old rivalries surface when geopolitical winds change direction again.