Tianjin (China): Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping on Sunday pledged to pursue a “fair, reasonable, and mutually acceptable” resolution of the boundary issue and to work together in stabilising global trade.
The two leaders held wide-ranging talks on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit, reaffirming that India and China are “development partners, not rivals,” and stressing that differences should not escalate into disputes.
Acknowledging the significance of their economies in balancing world trade amid ongoing global turbulence, Modi highlighted that both nations pursue strategic autonomy and their relations should not be viewed through the prism of a third country, according to an Indian readout.
They agreed on the need to expand common ground on bilateral, regional, and global challenges, including terrorism and fair trade in multilateral forums. Both welcomed the positive momentum in ties since their previous meeting in Kazan last October.
Underscoring the importance of peace along the border, Modi noted that the successful troop disengagement last year and subsequent calm had strengthened bilateral relations. The leaders reaffirmed their commitment to resolving the boundary question with a long-term perspective and welcomed progress made by Special Representatives in recent talks.
Modi also expressed support for China’s SCO presidency and extended an invitation to Xi to attend the BRICS summit in India in 2026. Xi thanked Modi for the invitation and assured support for India’s BRICS presidency, the Ministry of External Affairs said.
