In a significant diplomatic move, Chinese leader Xi Jinping and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi met for the first time in seven years, marking a notable step in a nascent rapprochement between the two most populous nations.
The highly anticipated meeting took place on the sidelines of a regional security summit on Sunday. The Shanghai Cooperation Organization, or SCO, gathered for its largest-ever summit in Tianjin, a two-day gathering that is testing the bloc's capacity to translate ambitious rhetoric into tangible influence.
The symbolic handshake and a closed-door meeting between the leaders of China and India come as both nations face global economic headwinds including tariffs under U.S. President Donald Trump's administration.
The meeting also highlighted their relationships with Russia amid the war in Ukraine, a topic of growing scrutiny in the West.
The summit was drawing leaders from its 10 member nations, including Russia's Vladimir Putin and Iran's Masoud Pezeshkian. Representatives from additional nations and 10 international organizations also were expected, creating a broad but potentially unwieldy assembly.
"The world today is swept by once-in-a-century transformations," Xi told Modi in opening remarks, adding the international situation is "both fluid and chaotic."
Drawing on traditional symbols, Xi said the "right choice" for the two nations is that "the dragon and the elephant dance together." He emphasized that by "adhere[ing] to the overall direction of being partners rather than rivals," their relationship can remain stable and advance over the long term.
Modi echoed the sentiment, saying India was "committed" to taking relations forward "on the basis of mutual trust and respect." He noted the interests of 2.8 billion people in both countries are tied to their cooperation, referencing the easing of tensions along their disputed Himalayan border, where the two nations had a deadly skirmish in 2020.
The diplomatic context
The two leaders' diplomatic pivot is a notable consequence of Trump's aggressive trade policies, including the doubling of tariffs on Indian imports to 50% in response to the country's purchases of Russian oil and gas.
While both China and India are major purchasers of Russian oil, only India has been targeted with such harsh measures.
Chinese officials have watched with unease as the U.S. deepened ties with India, seeing it as a bid to counter China's growing influence. The Quad security dialogue,a partnership between India, the U.S., Australia, and Japan, is widely viewed by Beijing as an effort to contain its rise.
Analysts suggest that for Xi, Modi's visit is a timely opportunity to signal to Washington that India is not a reliable partner in its strategy to contain China. For India, the meeting demonstrates its capacity to act independently on the global stage, resisting pressure from Washington.
A cautious thaw
While the meeting signals a new chapter, the relationship remains complex and is marked by historical tensions. A deadly 2020 border conflict along the undefined Line of Actual Control remains a fresh wound for both sides.
A heavy military presence is maintained by both countries along the 2,100-mile de facto border, a persistent source of friction since their 1962 war. However, there has been a gradual normalization of ties.
The leaders met in Russia last October and reached an agreement on military disengagement along the disputed border. More recently, the nations agreed to restart direct flights, reopened two pilgrimage sites in Tibet, and begun reissuing tourist visas. Those steps set the stage for the current high-stakes meeting.
An Indian readout released after the meeting said the leaders reaffirmed their "differences should not turn into disputes" and that a "stable relationship and cooperation" was necessary for the growth and development of both countries, as well as for a "multipolar world."
As China's SCO chairmanship concludes, the summit is slated to produce a new "Tianjin Declaration" and a development strategy for the coming decade. Observers will scrutinize these documents for concrete policy shifts beyond aspirational statements.
SCO includes China, India, Iran, Pakistan, Russia and five ex-Soviet nations in Central Asia: Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan.
SCO's expanding portfolio
Since its 2001 inception, SCO's security focus has grown significantly to include economic and trade cooperation. Its broadening scope, however, has also raised questions about the organization's ability to maintain cohesion and achieve effective outcomes across such diverse areas.
Putin was expected to stay for a military parade a few days later, a move designed to underscore Moscow's strategic partnership with Beijing amidst international isolation. Modi was not scheduled to attend, a clear indicator of the divergent geopolitical priorities within the bloc.
U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres's confirmed attendance and scheduled address to the "SCO-plus" session on Monday could strengthen the summit's international legitimacy in the eyes of the West. China also has been rapidly filling the void at U.N. agencies left by the U.S. withdrawal of support from key multilateral institutions.
He was expected to advocate for strengthening multilateralism and upholding the rule of law in a multipolar world. On the sidelines, the U.N. chief is scheduled for bilateral meetings with leaders, including Xi and Foreign Minister Wang Yi, engagements that typically aim to foster dialogue on global governance.