Prime Minister Narendra Modi held bilateral talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Sunday in Tianjin, on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit, as both nations sought to recalibrate their relationship in the shadow of Washington’s escalating tariff war.
Opening the meeting with a firm handshake, the two leaders signalled a thaw in ties between Asia’s two largest powers while also sending a subtle message to US President Donald Trump, whose tariff offensive has rattled both New Delhi and Beijing.
During the hour-long discussion, Modi highlighted recent progress in the bilateral relationship — including agreements between special representatives on the border dispute, the revival of the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra, and the restoration of direct flights.
“The interests of 2.8 billion people in our two countries are linked to cooperation. This will also contribute to the welfare of humanity,” Modi said, stressing that relations must move forward based on “mutual trust, respect, and sensitivity.”
India’s Ministry of External Affairs noted that Modi reiterated India and China’s pursuit of strategic autonomy, underscoring that their relationship should not be judged through the prism of any third country. Both sides also agreed to deepen cooperation on bilateral, regional, and global issues such as counterterrorism and fair trade in multilateral platforms.
For his part, Xi Jinping described India as a “vital friend,” adding that the two nations must approach their relationship with “a strategic and long-term perspective.” He cautioned against letting the border issue dominate ties, calling instead for a partnership-oriented approach.
“The international situation is fluid and chaotic. China and India are two ancient civilisations, the world’s two most populous countries, and founding members of the Global South. It is vital that the Dragon and the Elephant walk together,” Xi said, according to Chinese state media.
This was Modi’s first visit to China in seven years, his last being the 2018 Wuhan summit after the Doklam standoff. Since then, ties plummeted following the deadly Galwan Valley clashes in 2020, only beginning to recover after last year’s BRICS summit in Russia, when both leaders agreed to disengage at remaining friction points along the Line of Actual Control.
The shifting global landscape has added urgency to the dialogue. China recently condemned the US’s decision to impose 50% tariffs on Indian exports, describing Washington as a “bully” and declaring that it “firmly stands with India.” Beijing itself faces the threat of renewed tariff escalation after Trump warned of possible 200% duties on Chinese rare-earth magnet exports.
Modi is also scheduled to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin in Tianjin on Monday — their first interaction since Washington doubled tariffs on Indian goods over New Delhi’s continued purchase of Russian oil.
Analysts say Trump’s trade war has disrupted decades of US strategy that positioned India as a counterweight to China. Now, with ties between Washington and New Delhi strained, India has fresh incentives to reduce tensions with Beijing and explore avenues of economic and strategic alignment with its Asian neighbour.
