India and China Signal Continued Engagement as Both Sides Seek to Manage Differences

India and China have again emphasised dialogue, border stability and the management of differences as the two countries continue a gradual effort to stabilise bilateral relations following several years of strain.

Speaking at an event in New Delhi ahead of China’s National Day, Chinese Ambassador to India Xu Feihong said the two countries possess the political and historical experience required to deal with their differences. His remarks followed the September 12 meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi, where both leaders reviewed the broader bilateral relationship.

The official Indian account of the Modi-Xi meeting shows that the two governments are attempting to move forward on economic, cultural and multilateral cooperation while continuing to treat peace along the border as fundamental to the wider relationship.

Border Peace Remains Central to India’s Position

During the September 12 meeting, Prime Minister Modi emphasised that peace and tranquillity in the border areas remain an essential basis for the continued development of India-China relations.

He also stressed the need for both countries to observe existing agreements and understandings concerning border-related issues.

The two leaders reaffirmed their commitment to pursuing what the Indian side described as a fair, reasonable and mutually acceptable resolution of the boundary question. The process is to proceed from the political perspective of the overall bilateral relationship and the long-term interests of the peoples of both countries.

The formulation is significant because the boundary question remains unresolved despite decades of negotiations and continues to occupy a central place in bilateral relations.

‘Differences Should Not Become Disputes’

The September meeting also reaffirmed an important principle that has appeared repeatedly in India-China diplomatic engagement: differences between the two countries should not be allowed to become disputes.

According to the official Indian statement, Modi and Xi agreed that India and China should approach their relationship from a strategic and long-term perspective.

Modi said the relationship should be guided by three principles — mutual respect, mutual sensitivity and mutual interest.

These principles provide the Indian framework for managing a relationship that combines substantial economic interaction and cooperation in multilateral institutions with continuing disagreements over the boundary and other bilateral issues.

China Calls for a Dual-Track Approach

Ambassador Xu’s latest remarks place particular emphasis on what China describes as a dual-track approach.

Under this formulation, the boundary question and the broader bilateral relationship should be addressed simultaneously rather than allowing the unresolved border dispute to define every aspect of relations between the two countries.

The Chinese side argues that progress in the overall relationship can create better conditions for resolving differences, while effective management of the boundary question can provide greater stability for bilateral cooperation.

India’s position, however, continues to explicitly link the broader development of relations to peace and tranquillity along the border. The official account of the Modi-Xi meeting again made that connection clear.

The two approaches therefore contain areas of convergence but are not identical. Both favour dialogue and management of differences, while India continues to place particular emphasis on border stability as an essential basis for sustained improvement in the overall relationship.

Modi-Xi Meeting Followed Progress Since Tianjin

The September 12 bilateral meeting took place during Xi Jinping’s visit to New Delhi for the 18th BRICS Summit.

According to the Prime Minister’s Office, Modi and Xi welcomed the steady progress in bilateral relations since their previous meeting in Tianjin in August 2025.

Their New Delhi discussions covered the full range of bilateral relations rather than focusing exclusively on the boundary question.

People-to-people contacts featured prominently. Both leaders noted recent progress and agreed on the need to promote cultural exchanges, business links and greater mobility between India and China.

This reflects the gradual reopening of channels that had been affected during the deterioration in relations following the military confrontation along the Line of Actual Control in eastern Ladakh beginning in 2020.

Trade Imbalance and Market Access Enter the Discussion

Economic relations were another significant part of the September meeting.

India and China maintain a large trading relationship, but New Delhi has repeatedly raised concerns about the structural imbalance in bilateral trade and difficulties encountered by Indian companies seeking access to the Chinese market.

During the Modi-Xi meeting, the two leaders agreed that each side’s economic and trade concerns needed to be addressed.

The official Indian statement specifically identified the structural trade imbalance, supply-chain issues and the need for meaningful and predictable market access.

This places economic reciprocity alongside border stability as one of the substantive issues that will influence the next phase of bilateral relations.

BRICS Provides Another Area for Cooperation

Despite their bilateral differences, India and China continue to cooperate through major multilateral organisations, particularly BRICS.

India hosted the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi on September 12–13, 2026 under the theme “Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability.”

The New Delhi Declaration reaffirmed cooperation across political and security issues, economic and financial matters, and cultural and people-to-people engagement.

During his meeting with Xi, Modi expressed appreciation for China’s support for India’s 2026 BRICS chairship and its contribution to the summit. He also conveyed his best wishes for China’s BRICS presidency beginning next year.

The two leaders agreed that India and China should continue expanding areas of common ground on regional and global issues.

Two Ancient Civilisations, a Complex Modern Relationship

Ambassador Xu has repeatedly invoked the civilisational histories of India and China while arguing that the two countries possess the experience necessary to manage disagreements.

His latest remarks follow the same approach, stressing mutual respect, understanding and peaceful coexistence.

The diplomatic language does not mean that the outstanding issues have disappeared. The boundary question remains unresolved, India continues to emphasise the requirement for peace along the border, and economic concerns including the trade imbalance and market access remain on the agenda.

What has changed is the level of political engagement.

The September 2026 Modi-Xi meeting built upon the dialogue that had developed since their earlier interactions and placed border management, economic concerns, people-to-people exchanges and multilateral cooperation within the same bilateral framework.

The immediate direction is therefore centred on managing differences while expanding areas where cooperation is possible. Whether that process develops into a more durable stabilisation of India-China relations will depend heavily on continued peace along the border, progress through established dialogue mechanisms and how effectively both sides address the economic and strategic concerns that remain unresolved.

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References

Prime Minister’s Office, Government of India — PM’s Bilateral Meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, 12 September 2026.
Official PMO statement

Prime Minister’s Office, Government of India — BRICS New Delhi Declaration: Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability, 12 September 2026.
Official BRICS New Delhi Declaration

Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in India — Official statements and remarks of Ambassador Xu Feihong on China-India relations.
Chinese Embassy in India

Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in India — Official record of President Xi Jinping’s arrival in New Delhi for the 18th BRICS Summit, September 2026.
Official Chinese Embassy release

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