Chinese President Xi Jinping on Saturday, 12 September told Prime Minister Narendra Modi that China and India are 'partners, not rivals' and 'opportunities, not threats' for each other's development. The remarks came during their bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi, according to a statement released by the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Two years of diplomatic reset

The Chinese foreign ministry noted that in the past two years, Xi and Modi have met twice, steering China-India relations from what it described as a 'restart' to a 'further enhancement.' Institutional exchanges between the two nations have reportedly resumed, the cooperation agenda has been 'continuously extended,' and bilateral trade has hit a new high, the ministry added.

This comes amid a broader thaw in ties that had deteriorated sharply following the 2020 Galwan Valley border clash. While the two sides completed troop disengagement at key friction points along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in recent months, deep strategic mistrust persists — particularly over infrastructure build-ups and contested boundary alignments.

Xi's four-point framework

According to the ministry statement, Xi outlined four principles for the steady, long-term development of China-India relations:

First, both sides should 'calibrate their direction with an objective and rational strategic understanding.' Xi stressed that China and India are partners and opportunities for each other — a judgment he said is rooted in the development stages of both nations and the current international environment.

Second, the two countries should pursue 'mutual success through win-win cooperation,' with development as the 'greatest common denominator' and a focus on strengthening friendly exchanges and mutually beneficial ties.

Third, both nations must 'eliminate interference with the political wisdom of mutual respect and understanding,' committing to the 'parallel development and mutual promotion' of bilateral relations and border issues while maintaining peace and tranquillity in border areas.

Fourth, China and India should 'benefit the world through open and inclusive multilateral cooperation,' including supporting each other's presidency of BRICS and deepening coordination within the United Nations, the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), and the G20.

Global South responsibilities

The ministry statement underscored that as the world's two most populous countries and important members of the Global South, China and India 'shoulder important responsibilities' in a 'complex and volatile international situation.' It called on both sides to keep the 'future of humanity in mind,' prioritise the well-being of their people, and jointly promote 'high-quality development of BRICS cooperation.'

Significance and what lies ahead

The framing of ties as a partnership rather than a rivalry is notable, coming from the Chinese side — which has in recent years been more cautious in characterising the relationship publicly. However, critics argue that the rhetoric of partnership has historically coexisted with significant friction on the border, trade imbalances exceeding $85 billion in China's favour, and divergent positions on issues ranging from Pakistan to India's UN Security Council bid.

Notably, this is only the second time the two leaders have met since relations began normalising after prolonged diplomatic frost. With both nations holding or preparing to hold BRICS chairmanship roles, the multilateral stage offers a calibrated space for engagement without the political cost of standalone summits. Observers will be watching whether the four-point framework translates into concrete outcomes — particularly on border management mechanisms, market access, and visa facilitation — in the months ahead.