Focus Note
On 23 October, the President of China, Xi Jinping, and the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi held a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the BRICS summit in Kazan, Russia. The meeting was the first bilateral meeting between Xi and Modi in five years, since the Galwan border clashes in 2020. The last time the two leaders had held formal talks between each other was during a visit by Xi to India in October 2019. Xi stated that India and China were at a crucial stage of development and “should carefully handle differences and disagreements and facilitate each other’s pursuit of development aspirations.”  Xi also informed it was essential for India and China to shoulder their international responsibilities, contribute to promoting a multi-polar world and democracy in international relations, and set an example for improving the strength and unity of developing countries. Additionally, the Foreign Secretary of India, Vikram Misri informed that Xi and Modi affirmed towards stable, predictable, and amicable relations between China and India would have a positive impact on regional and global peace and prosperity. The meeting came days after the Government of the People’s Republic of China and the Government of India signed a deal to resolve the four-year-long military standoff at the border.
 
On 23 October, Xinhua, the flagship news agency of China reported that the President of China, Xi Jinping had urged China and India to maintain a sound strategic perception about each other. Xi also stated that China and India needed to work together to find the right path for major countries neighbouring each other to live harmoniously and develop side by side. Meanwhile, the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi informed the continued growth of relations between China and India was essential for the future of both countries and global peace and stability. Modi also stated that cooperation between the ancient civilizations of China and India could aid in economic recovery and promote a multipolar world. Modi also informed the Indian government was willing to improve strategic communication, strategic mutual trust, and mutually beneficial cooperation with China. The Indian prime minister stated India would use multilateral frameworks like BRICS to improve cooperation and communication with China and also support the Chinese presidency of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization.
 
Xinhua also reported that Xi agreed in principle to suggestions made by Modi on how to improve and develop ties further. The Chinese and Indian governments reportedly agreed on finding a fair and reasonable settlement to the dispute in the border regions, and to hold talks between their foreign ministers soon. The two governments also agreed to view China-India relations from a long-term perspective; thus, contributing towards maintaining global peace and prosperity, advancing global multipolarity, and preventing specific disagreements from affecting the relationship.
 
On 23 October, Global Times provided the viewpoint from experts on international relations while reporting on the meeting between Xi and Modi. A Deputy Director at the Centre for South Asian Studies at Fudan University, Lin Minwang informed Global Times that the meeting was evidence that China-India relations were now towards recovery, after resolutions on border issues.  A professor at China Foreign Affairs University, Li Haidong informed Global Times of the importance of BRICS as a platform for major countries to coordinate with each other on sensitive issues and improve ties through consensus was shown through the improvement in ties between China and India. According to Li, if China and India stayed united, they could help improve or reform the international order away from US and Western hegemony.  Thus, a common theme to be found across the Chinese media reporting of the Xi-Modi summit was that both countries were favouring closer ties with each other, to work together in the multipolar world order.
 
Another viewpoint voiced by experts to Global Times was that India might be trying to move closer to China, after failing to receive substantial support from the US. Both Lin Minwang and Li Haidong stated India had failed to receive support from the West for its “Make in India” economic plans or in the diplomatic sphere; which meant it might look at China from a more sympathetic lens now. However, a Research Fellow with the Institute of International Relations at the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences, Hu Zhiyong informed there were still uncertainties present within the China-India relationship.
 
References:
“China’s Xi and India’s Modi meet after border accord between two countries,” Al Jazeera, 23 October 2024
Yang Sheng, “Xi meets Modi at BRICS summit, urges China, India to facilitate each other’s pursuit of development aspirations,” Global Times, 23 October 2024
“Xi urges China, India to facilitate each other’s pursuit of development aspirations,” Xinhua, 24 October 2024
“President Xi urges China, India to facilitate each other’s pursuit of development aspirations,” CGTN, 24 October 2024