SCO Summit 2025: Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in Tianjin on Sunday (August 31, 2025). In a significant statement reflecting the bilateral ties between India and China, the Official Spokesperson for the Ministry of External Affairs, Randhir Jaiswal, said that both leaders welcomed the ‘positive momentum’ and ‘steady progress’ in their relations since their last meeting in Kazan in October 2024.
MEA said, “Both leaders reaffirmed that the two countries were development partners and not rivals, and that their differences should not turn into disputes.” It further emphasized that a stable relationship and cooperation between India and China and their 2.8 billion people based on mutual respect, mutual interest, and mutual sensitivity are important for economic growth and a multi-polar world.
Jaiswal said that PM Modi and Xi Jinping successfully reflected on the disengagement last year and agreed to maintain peace and tranquility along the border areas. They also agreed to support the work of the two Special Representatives on the boundary question.
According to a MEA’s statement, the two leaders recognized the need to promote people-to-people exchanges. On economic and trade relations, they underscored the importance of moving forward in a political and strategic direction. This will help expand bilateral trade and investment and thereby reduce the trade deficit.
“Prime Minister noted that India and China both pursue strategic autonomy, and their relations should not be seen through a third country lens. The two leaders deemed it necessary to expand common ground on bilateral, regional, and global issues and challenges, like terrorism and fair trade in multilateral platforms,” the MEA said.
PM Modi invited Xi Jinping to the BRICS Summit that India will be hosting in 2026. In response, the Chinese President expressed gratitude to the Indian Prime Minister and offered China’s support to India’s BRICS Presidency.
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