Peace and tranquility along the frontier remain an “essential” basis for the continued development of India-China relations, Prime Minister Narendra Modi told Chinese President Xi Jinping during their bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit in New Delhi on Saturday.
During the meeting, Modi underlined the need for both sides to adhere to existing agreements and understandings on border-related issues, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in a statement.
The meeting comes as India and China seek to stabilise ties following the bitter military standoff along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in 2020. Bilateral relations have improved in recent years, with the two countries taking steps to restore direct flights, ease visa arrangements and increase high-level diplomatic engagements.
The two leaders welcomed the steady progress in bilateral relations since their last meeting in Tianjin in August 2025. They reaffirmed the need for both countries to adopt a strategic and long-term perspective on their ties, while acknowledging that differences should not be allowed to become disputes.
Modi emphasised that bilateral relations must be guided by three mutuals—mutual respect, mutual sensitivity and mutual interest.
According to the MEA, both leaders also reaffirmed their commitment to a fair, reasonable and mutually acceptable resolution of the boundary question, while taking into account the broader political perspective of bilateral relations and the long-term interests of the two peoples.
The leaders took note of progress in people-to-people ties and underscored the need to further promote cultural exchanges, business linkages and greater mobility between India and China.
On economic and trade relations, they stressed the need to address each other’s concerns, including the structural trade imbalance and supply-chain issues, while facilitating meaningful and predictable market access.
Modi and Xi also agreed that the two countries should continue to expand common ground on regional and global issues and work together to address shared challenges.
The Prime Minister appreciated China’s support for India’s BRICS chairship and its contribution to the success of the BRICS Summit 2026.
According to a Chinese official statement, Xi outlined four specific points aimed at promoting the steady and sustained development of China-India relations. These included maintaining a clear direction for advancing bilateral ties and viewing each other as partners rather than rivals.
Xi’s visit marks his first trip to India since his informal meeting with Modi in Mamallapuram in 2019, held during the second India-China Informal Summit.
The proposed Modi-Xi meeting had been closely watched in diplomatic circles, particularly against the backdrop of multiple global crises, including the Russia-Ukraine war, the conflict in West Asia and continuing trade tensions.
