Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi
New Delhi, Sep 12: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping on Saturday held a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit in New Delhi, emphasising that “differences should not become disputes” and reaffirming the need for a strategic and long-term approach to India-China relations.
According to a statement issued by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), the two leaders welcomed the steady progress in bilateral ties since their previous meeting in Tianjin in August 2025.
“They reaffirmed that both countries should take a strategic and long term perspective of their ties. Differences should not become disputes,” the MEA said.
Prime Minister Modi stressed that both sides should be guided by “mutual respect, mutual sensitivity and mutual interest”.
The Prime Minister also underlined that peace and tranquillity in the border areas remained an essential basis for the continued development of bilateral relations.
He emphasised the need for both sides to abide by existing agreements and understandings concerning border-related issues.
The two leaders expressed their commitment to finding a “fair, reasonable, and mutually acceptable” resolution to the boundary question, taking into account the broader political perspective of bilateral relations and the long-term interests of the two countries.
Modi and Xi also took note of progress in people-to-people ties and stressed the need to further promote cultural exchanges, business linkages and greater mobility between India and China.
On economic and trade relations, the two leaders discussed the need to address each other’s concerns, including structural trade imbalances and supply-chain issues.
They also stressed the importance of facilitating meaningful and predictable market access, the MEA said.
The leaders agreed that India and China should continue expanding common ground on regional and global issues and work together to address shared challenges.
Modi appreciated China’s support for India’s BRICS chairship and its contribution towards the successful conduct of the 18th BRICS Summit.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, National Security Adviser Ajit Doval and other senior officials were also present during the meeting.
Earlier, Modi warmly welcomed Xi and other BRICS leaders at the venue of the 18th BRICS Summit. The iconic Ramanathaswamy Temple in Rameswaram was featured as the backdrop for the welcome ceremony, with Modi briefly explaining its significance to Xi.
The two leaders had a brief interaction during the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, on August 31. They had previously met on the sidelines of the SCO Summit in Tianjin in August 2025.
Xi’s visit comes as India and China continue efforts to stabilise bilateral ties following the deadly Galwan Valley clashes of 2020.
India has repeatedly maintained that peace and tranquillity along the border are essential for the continued development and progress of bilateral relations.