Tianjin: Chinese President Xi Jinping on Sunday described friendship between India and China as the “right choice,” as he welcomed Prime Minister Narendra Modi for a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit.
Calling the two nations “ancient civilizations of the East,” Xi said both countries bear “historic responsibilities” not only towards their people but also towards the Global South and the wider international order. “It is a great pleasure to meet you again, Mr Prime Minister. I warmly welcome you to China for the SCO summit. Last year, in Kazan, we had a successful and meaningful meeting. India and China are the world’s two most populous nations and key members of the Global South. We share the responsibility of improving the well-being of our peoples, strengthening solidarity among developing countries, and contributing to the progress of humanity,” Xi noted in his remarks.
Underscoring that 2025 marks the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between New Delhi and Beijing, Xi stressed the importance of managing ties with “a long-term and strategic outlook.” He urged that both sides must defend multilateralism, push for a multipolar world, and work together for “peace and prosperity in Asia and beyond.”
Xi further remarked that India and China must be “friends and good neighbours, partners who enable each other’s success, and the dragon and the elephant coming together.”
In his opening statement, Prime Minister Modi said he remained committed to carrying the India-China relationship forward “on the foundation of mutual trust, respect, and sensitivity.” He recalled his last meeting with Xi in Kazan during the BRICS summit in October 2024, adding that the disengagement along the border had “helped create an atmosphere of peace and stability.”
The Prime Minister also highlighted people-to-people initiatives such as resuming the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra and restarting direct flights between the two countries. “The interests of 2.8 billion people are tied to our cooperation. This cooperation will also serve the welfare of humanity as a whole,” Modi said.
The high-level talks lasted over 50 minutes and come at a sensitive time, with India navigating fresh trade challenges after US tariffs and China facing strains in its own ties with Washington. This is Modi’s first visit to China in seven years, set against the backdrop of the 2020 Galwan Valley clash and the subsequent border disengagement process that was completed only last year.
The visit follows Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi’s trip to India earlier this month, where he met External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval to explore avenues for a “stable, cooperative and forward-looking” relationship.
China is hosting the two-day SCO Summit as the rotating chair of the bloc, marking its 25th Meeting of the Council of Heads of State. Over 20 foreign leaders and 10 heads of international organisations are attending, with Xi set to deliver keynote addresses at both the summit and the special “SCO Plus” session.
The SCO, founded in 2001, currently includes China, India, Russia, Pakistan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and Belarus, alongside 16 observer and dialogue partner countries.