PM Modi, President Xi pledge to strengthen India-China ties at SCO summit in Tianjin

Mangalore Today News Network

Tianjin, Aug 31, 2025: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday met Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Tianjin, reaffirming India’s commitment to strengthening bilateral ties “on the basis of mutual trust, respect and sensitivity.”

PM Modi noted that peace and stability had been restored along the border following the disengagement process, and said Special Representatives of both nations had reached an understanding on border management. He also highlighted the resumption of the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra and the launch of direct flights between the two countries.

“The cooperation between us is linked to the interests of 2.8 billion people of our nations and also contributes to the welfare of humanity,” the Prime Minister said.

President Xi, welcoming Modi to China, stressed that India and China should be “friends and good neighbours,” describing it as the “right choice” for both sides. He said the two nations, as major members of the Global South, bore the responsibility of improving the well-being of their people and promoting solidarity among developing countries.

Calling for a long-term, strategic approach to bilateral ties, Xi said, “The dragon and the elephant must come together to work for peace and prosperity in Asia and the world.”

This is PM Modi’s first visit to China in seven years, coming after Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi’s recent trip to New Delhi. Relations between the two countries had soured following the deadly Galwan Valley clashes in 2020 but began to improve after a disengagement agreement was reached in October 2024.

The SCO summit, chaired by China this year, has drawn leaders from 10 member states, including Russia’s President Vladimir Putin, marking the largest gathering since the bloc’s formation in 2001.