Xi, Modi reached ‘most important consensus’ that India, China should be partners: Wang Yi

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi announced that President Xi Jinping and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi concluded their meeting in New Delhi with a consensus that the two nations should act as partners, emphasizing cooperation on strategic, long‑term issues. The declaration was made on the sidelines of the 18th BRICS summit, where the leaders exchanged candid views on border stability, mutual development, and support for each other's rotating BRICS chairmanship.

The bilateral talks took place on Saturday evening, marking Xi's first visit to India in seven years. In conjunction with the summit, China Southern Airlines confirmed the restart of regular passenger services on the Guangzhou‑New Delhi route from September 21, ending a six‑year suspension that began after the Covid‑19 pandemic and heightened tensions following the Doklam and Galwan incidents. The leaders also referenced the October 2024 border agreement and previous high‑level meetings, including a 2024 encounter in Kazan, Russia.

Relations between the two populous neighbours have been strained since the 2020 Galwan clash, with air links and pilgrimages halted for years. The recent diplomatic overtures, including the revived Kailash Mansarovar Yatra in 2024, aim to ease border frictions and foster broader cooperation across the Global South, affecting over 2.8 billion citizens in China and India. Wang Yi highlighted that while border issues remain, they should be viewed within the larger context of bilateral ties, signalling a potential new chapter in Indo‑Chinese engagement.