New Delhi, September 15, 2026: India-China relations received a positive push as Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping held bilateral talks on the sidelines of the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi. The leaders discussed business ties, transport links, people-to-people exchanges, and the need for lasting peace along the border.
The meeting on September 12 marked Xi Jinping’s first visit to India in seven years and their third consecutive annual bilateral engagement. Both sides welcomed the steady progress in relations since their last meeting in Tianjin in August 2025.
Key Outcomes of the Talks
Prime Minister Modi and President Xi agreed that the two countries should view their relationship from a strategic and long-term perspective. They emphasised that “differences should not become disputes.”
Modi underlined three guiding principles — mutual respect, mutual sensitivity, and mutual interest. He stressed that peace and tranquillity in the border areas remain an essential foundation for the continued development of bilateral relations. Both leaders reaffirmed their commitment to existing agreements on the border and expressed support for a fair, reasonable, and mutually acceptable resolution of the boundary question.
On the economic front, the leaders highlighted the need to expand business linkages, cultural exchanges, and greater mobility between the two countries. They also discussed addressing structural trade imbalances, supply chain issues, and facilitating meaningful market access.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi later described the most important consensus from the meeting as the understanding that China and India should be partners rather than rivals, and that each other’s development represents an opportunity rather than a threat.
Broader Context and Cooperation
The two leaders agreed to support each other in their respective BRICS chairmanships and to strengthen coordination in multilateral forums such as the United Nations, the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), and the G20. They also committed to advancing cooperation among Global South countries and promoting a more multipolar world order.
Bilateral trade between India and China has reached record levels in recent years, though the imbalance remains a concern for New Delhi. The meeting is seen as part of a gradual thaw in ties that had been strained since the 2020 border clash in Galwan Valley.
President Xi’s visit to India lasted less than 24 hours. The constructive tone of the talks is expected to provide further momentum to ongoing efforts to stabilise and improve India-China relations.
The positive engagement at the BRICS Summit signals a willingness on both sides to manage differences carefully while exploring areas of mutual benefit in trade, connectivity, and global cooperation.