Modi and Xi Meet at SCO Summit to Strengthen India-China Relations

In a significant diplomatic engagement, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping met on August 31, 2025, during the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Tianjin, China. This meeting marked Modi's first visit to China since the 2020 border clashes that severely strained relations between the two nations.

The leaders emphasized the importance of viewing each other as partners rather than rivals. Xi stated that the border issue should not define the overall China-India relationship and highlighted the need to focus on economic development. Modi noted that recent disengagement along the border had created a peaceful environment and underscored the significance of tranquility for bilateral development.

Discussions also addressed economic cooperation, with both leaders agreeing to support the efforts of Special Representatives to resolve the boundary question and to enhance people-to-people ties through initiatives like the resumption of the Kailash Manasarovar Yatra.

The meeting reflects a mutual commitment to stabilizing and advancing China-India relations amidst shifting global dynamics.

Key Developments in India-China Relations at the SCO Summit:

• India committed to improving ties with China, Modi tells Xi
• India and China are partners, not rivals, Modi and Xi say
• China's Xi and India's Modi vow to resolve border differences at a meeting in Tianjin