Secret letter from Xi to India? Report claims it sparked a quiet reset in Delhi-China relations

A previously undisclosed letter from Chinese President Xi Jinping has reportedly ignited a quiet reset in India-China relations, according to a report, signaling a potentially pivotal turn in Asia’s strategic balance, just days before Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to China.

According to Indian officials cited in the Bloomberg report, Xi reached out directly to Indian President Droupadi Murmu in March, at the height of US trade hostilities with China. The letter, described as both cautious and deliberate, expressed concern over US economic maneuvers and proposed a new point of contact for diplomatic overtures.

BT could not independently verify the claims made in the report.

The message came as Washington’s trade pressure on both China and India intensified. By June, New Delhi had begun re-engaging with Beijing.

The Bloomberg report details how this backchannel communication evolved into a broader thaw. Last week, both sides agreed to revive efforts to resolve their volatile border disputes – marking the most direct progress since the 2020 Galwan Valley clash that left 20 Indian soldiers dead.

Modi is now scheduled to visit China this weekend for the first time in seven years.

The realignment carries implications far beyond South Asia. The US has long relied on India to counter China’s influence in the Indo-Pacific. But Trump’s 50 per cent tariffs on Indian goods, and restrictions on Russian oil imports, may have pushed New Delhi to look eastward.

“Trump is indeed the great peacemaker – he deserves all the credit,” Carnegie Endowment’s Ashley Tellis was quoted as saying in the report, calling the shift an unintended consequence of adversarial US policy.

Bloomberg also reported that Indian conglomerates like Reliance, Adani, and JSW are exploring clean energy partnerships with Chinese firms. Direct flights could resume soon, and tourist visas for Chinese nationals are back on the table.

Yet deep mistrust lingers – from China’s alliance with Pakistan to India’s increasing closeness with Taiwan. “This is a recovery, not a breakthrough,” warned Eurasia Group’s Jeremy Chan.

Modi and Xi are expected to meet September 1 on the sidelines of the SCO summit in Tianjin.