Modi Xi Meet After 7 Years In India Signals Possible Reset In Bilateral Ties

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping came face-to-face in New Delhi as Xi returned to India after seven years. From their opening handshake at Bharat Mandapam to warm exchanges alongside Russian President Vladimir Putin, the optics remained cordial throughout the BRICS Summit. The key moment, however, was the nearly 50-minute delegation-level bilateral meeting between Modi and Xi — their first such meeting in India in seven years and six years after the Galwan clashes strained ties. Both leaders agreed to take a strategic and long-term view of India-China relations and stressed that differences should not turn into disputes. Modi underlined mutual respect, mutual sensitivity and mutual interest as the basis of ties. Border peace, trade imbalance, supply-chain concerns and greater market access were also discussed. The meeting has raised a larger question: could this mark the beginning of a new chapter in India-China relations?