PTC News Desk: Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Tianjin marked a significant step toward strengthening bilateral ties, while also projecting strong optics amid Washington’s steep tariff measures.
PM Modi announced that India and China will soon resume direct flights, a key step in reconciliation, though no date has been specified yet. Direct air services were suspended during the COVID-19 pandemic, forcing travellers to transit through Hong Kong or Singapore. He also highlighted the resumption of the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra and tourist visas, both of which had been halted in 2020 and were restarted earlier this year.
The Prime Minister stressed that India–China relations should be guided by strategic autonomy and not viewed through the lens of a third country. A joint statement noted that both leaders agreed to broaden common ground on bilateral, regional, and global concerns such as terrorism and fair trade within multilateral platforms.
Relations between the two nations had deteriorated after the 2020 Galwan clashes, but steady efforts—including their meeting in Kazan, Russia, last year—have paved the way for reconciliation. Modi and Xi acknowledged that disengagement along the border has helped restore peace and stability in frontier areas.
President Xi emphasized that India and China remain “friends and good neighbours,” underscoring their role as leading members of the Global South with shared responsibility for improving the lives of their citizens. He further noted that the border issue should not define the overall relationship, calling for a strategic and long-term approach to ensure sustained, healthy, and stable ties.
Improved relations hold economic promise for both sides: India’s EV sector could benefit from Chinese investment, while China would gain greater access to Indian markets. Both countries have also agreed to reopen border trade, which could help diversify commerce during tariff uncertainties. Additionally, Beijing has assured New Delhi of support in accessing rare earth minerals, fertilisers, and tunnel-boring machines.
This renewed diplomatic momentum comes at a time when India’s ties with the US have strained under Trump’s tariff policies. The prospect of New Delhi moving closer to Beijing poses a fresh challenge to Washington, potentially undoing years of American efforts to keep the two Asian giants apart.
