The recent visit of Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi to India, marked by his meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other senior officials, has opened what is being described as a “new phase” in India-China relations.

According to Chinese Ambassador to India Xu Feihong, the meeting signified a pivotal moment in the bilateral relationship, underpinned by a renewed consensus on managing differences—especially at the border—and deepening cooperation across multiple dimensions.

The Chinese envoy, in a public statement, highlighted that both governments had agreed to strengthen dialogue mechanisms, stabilise border management, and collaborate in addressing global challenges.

This renewed effort comes against the backdrop of sustained tensions along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) following the border stand-off in 2020, which had led to a significant freeze in high-level engagement between the two neighbours.

Ambassador Xu emphasised that President Xi Jinping conveyed his appreciation for Prime Minister Modi’s confirmation to attend the upcoming Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in Tianjin later this month.

He noted that this development builds on the understandings reached between Xi and Modi during the BRICS Summit held in Kazan, Russia, in 2024. The two leaders had then agreed on measures to balance competition with cooperation and prevent bilateral disputes from escalating into larger geopolitical roadblocks.

Xu described these consistent interactions as laying the groundwork for bilateral relations to shift to “a new course of improvement and development,” signalling a recognition that practical cooperation is increasingly valuable for both sides in the current global climate of strategic flux.

During his meetings in New Delhi, Wang Yi underscored that India and China had mutually agreed to restart dormant dialogue mechanisms covering a range of fields—from trade and investment to environmental cooperation and cultural exchanges.

He noted that the two sides would engage in more active diplomatic consultations to manage differences without allowing them to derail broader cooperation.

Importantly, Wang announced that both governments have decided to oppose “unilateral bullying,” a phrase often invoked by China to criticise the U.S.-led security architecture and sanctions regimes.

This suggested that Beijing is keen on presenting a common front with New Delhi on issues of multilateralism, sovereignty, and resistance to Western unilateral actions, even as differences remain over the Indo-Pacific order and regional alignments.

One of the most significant takeaways from the discussions was the consensus on the border issue. Ambassador Xu conveyed Wang Yi’s remarks that India and China have agreed to establish regular mechanisms of management and control along the LAC to prevent escalation, particularly in sensitive areas.

The two sides will reportedly begin boundary negotiations in sectors where conditions are considered conducive, a move aimed at de-escalating persistent tensions in certain flashpoints.

Wang stated that the border issue should not be permitted to dominate the overall relationship, stressing that both countries must see each other as partners rather than rivals. This approach reflects an attempt to compartmentalise disputes and ensure that strategic ties are not jeopardised by differences on one front.

Xu also highlighted Wang’s broader strategic assessment of India-China relations in the current geopolitical landscape. He stated that both governments now view their bilateral ties in terms of growing global relevance, and that the “strategic significance” of the relationship is more prominent today than in the past.

Against the backdrop of shifting global alignments, ongoing conflicts in Europe and West Asia, and challenges such as climate change, global governance reforms, and economic instability, the value of India-China cooperation, Wang argued, has become “more meaningful” than ever.

This positioning reinforces the narrative that the world’s two largest developing nations bear shared responsibilities in shaping multipolarity and counterbalancing Western influence.

Prime Minister Modi, in his own remarks following the meeting, confirmed that India-China ties have progressed since his engagement with President Xi in Kazan, guided by “respect for each other’s interests and sensitivities.”

He welcomed Wang Yi’s visit as a preparatory step for further high-level exchanges, including their next interaction in Tianjin during the SCO Summit scheduled for August 31 to September 1.

Modi underlined his vision for bilateral relations to evolve into a “stable, predictable, and constructive” framework, arguing that such ties would significantly contribute to both regional stability and global prosperity.

His statement was notable for its carefully balanced tone, reaffirming India’s independent approach to foreign policy and willingness to build constructive engagement with Beijing without compromising on national interests, particularly on the security front.

In essence, the Wang-Modi meeting and Ambassador Xu’s messaging collectively point toward a deliberate recalibration in India-China relations. While border disputes and mutual suspicions remain entrenched, both sides appear to have reached a political decision to prevent further deterioration and instead pursue incremental trust-building.

The revival of dialogue mechanisms, the emphasis on peace along the LAC, and the shared resistance to unilateralism suggest that New Delhi and Beijing are seeking to manage their complicated relationship with a renewed sense of pragmatism.

The upcoming SCO Summit in Tianjin will likely serve as an important milestone to test how far these commitments translate into tangible outcomes, potentially shaping the trajectory of one of the most significant bilateral relationships in 21st-century geopolitics.

Based On ANI Report