Modi Raises Cross-Border Terror With Xi, China Extends Support

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping had a very important meeting while the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit was going on in Tianjin. Terrorism, trade, border security, and the future of ties between India and China were the main topics of conversation.

The main topic is cross-border terrorism

Cross-border terrorism coming from Pakistan was brought up by PM Modi as an important problem. Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri says that Modi stressed that both India and China have been affected by terrorism and asked them to work together. He stated that the Chinese side offered India their help in fighting the threat.

Forces from around the world and strategic autonomy

Tensions around the world were high at the time of the talks, especially since the U.S. put a 50% tax on Indian goods because they were linked to energy imports from Russia. Both Modi and Xi stressed how important strategic autonomy is and how India-China relations should not be shaped by outside forces.

Not competition, but partnership

India and China decided that they should see each other as partners instead of rivals in order to fix their relationship. They talked about ways to keep world trade stable and improve their ability to work together to fight terrorism. Chinese state media even called the two countries "the dragon and the elephant" and asked them to work together to keep the world in balance.

Peace and Stability at the Border

Xi Jinping stressed that border problems should not be the only thing that defines relations between the two countries. Both sides agreed that recent improvements in managing the border and ending the conflict had created an atmosphere of peace and security. Modi also liked that direct flights were back up and running and that the Kailash Mansarovar trek was brought back.

There were some negative responses as well. Asaduddin Owaisi, the leader of AIMIM, said that the meeting didn't produce any real results. He said that China had not made any promises about things like supporting Pakistan in military operations, expanding the China–Pakistan Economic Corridor into Afghanistan, or signing agreements to share water. All of these are still touchy problems for India.

A Possible Warming Up in Relations

Even though there were disagreements, the meeting in Tianjin showed a first sign of improvement in ties that have been tense since the border fights in 2020. Even though there was success in trade, dialogue, and understanding each other on terrorism, there are still big problems that keep Asia's two biggest economies from fully getting along again.