Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping’s first meeting in ten months, held on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in Tianjin, marks a significant forward step in recalibrating ties between Asia’s two largest economies.

The encounter comes after a prolonged phase of tension following the 2020 Galwan clashes, which had severely strained bilateral trust. Both leaders underscored during their talks that India and China should be seen fundamentally as partners rather than adversaries, conveying that differences should not be allowed to escalate into disputes.

This framing indicates a notable shift in narrative, laying the foundation for what both sides describe as a renewed phase of constructive engagement.

One of the most concrete outcomes of the meeting is India and China’s decision to resume direct flights that were suspended during the COVID-19 pandemic. For nearly five years, passengers traveling between the two countries were compelled to transit through hubs like Hong Kong or Singapore, which had not only hampered connectivity but also acted as a symbolic reminder of strained ties.

While a specific date for resumption has not been announced, the move carries immense diplomatic weight by facilitating more direct people-to-people links, boosting tourism, and easing business exchanges.

In the same spirit of restoring normalcy, Modi stressed the reopening of long-suspended tourist visas for Chinese nationals and the resumption of the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra, an important sign of cultural and religious cooperation as well as goodwill.

Strategically, both leaders highlighted the importance of pursuing relations through the lens of mutual autonomy, urging that their bilateral engagements should not be viewed from the standpoint of third-party countries.

This was an indirect message to Washington, particularly at a moment when its escalating tariff regimes under President Trump are causing ripple effects across global markets. Modi and Xi agreed that India and China, as influential voices in the Global South, must broaden areas of convergence at multilateral forums on vital concerns such as terrorism, fair trade, and development equity. Xi further noted that both countries carry the joint responsibility of uplifting the well-being of their populations, reinforcing the message that their partnership has broader social and developmental stakes.

On the long-standing border issue, both leaders carefully downgraded its centrality in the relationship. Xi Jinping emphasised that the dispute should not define the entirety of India-China relations, noting that recent disengagement processes had contributed to greater tranquillity along border areas.

Modi echoed by suggesting the need for a strategic, long-term approach in managing their differences while promoting overall stability. This shift in articulation suggests both governments recognise the limits of perpetual hostility, particularly with mounting global trade uncertainties.

Economically, the warming of ties presents tangible possibilities. India’s electric vehicle (EV) sector, which remains at a developmental stage, could benefit significantly if Chinese participation and technological expertise are allowed to grow.

Similarly, China gains through enlarged access to India’s vast consumer market, particularly at a time when its domestic economy is struggling under global tariff pressures. To operationalise this economic revival, India and China also agreed to reopen border trade, restoring a mechanism that had been halted in the past few years.

In parallel, Beijing has committed to meeting India’s demand for critical resources such as rare earth minerals, fertilisers, and tunnel-boring machines—inputs crucial for India’s infrastructure expansion and industrial growth.

The broader geostrategic backdrop adds weight to these developments. India’s ties with the United States have been tested by Trump-era tariffs, raising concerns in New Delhi about over dependence on the American economic corridor.

The optics of closer cooperation between Delhi and Beijing inevitably serve as a warning signal for Washington, potentially undermining decades of US strategic engagement aimed at separating the two rising powers.

In this sense, the Modi-Xi meeting represents more than just a bilateral reset; it symbolises a notable rebalancing within global power equations at a time when multilateralism itself stands challenged.

The meeting between Prime Minister Modi and President Xi Jinping signifies a deliberate thaw in India-China ties after years of suspicion and turbulence. By focusing on people-to-people links through travel and pilgrimage, reassuring commitments on border stability, and a shared emphasis on economic interdependence and autonomy, both leaders have taken a pragmatic approach.

The renewed trajectory suggests that while deep-rooted differences, especially on boundaries, may persist, both sides appear determined to prevent them from overshadowing the larger picture of cooperation.

Whether this rapprochement will translate into a durable partnership will become clear in the coming months, particularly in how both states manage sensitive security issues and balance their respective engagements with the West. For now, however, the Tianjin meeting marks a decisive step toward stability, strategic recalibration, and cautious optimism in India-China relations.

IDN