Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping held a bilateral meeting on Saturday, 12 September on the sidelines of the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi, with both leaders reaffirming that their countries must take a strategic and long-term view of ties and that 'differences should not become disputes.' The meeting, attended by External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, produced a joint emphasis on border peace, trade balance, and expanded people-to-people contact.

Key Outcomes of the Bilateral

According to a statement issued by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) after the meeting, both leaders welcomed 'the steady progress in India-China bilateral relations since their last meeting in Tianjin in August 2025.' Prime Minister Modi underlined what he called the 'three mutuals' — mutual respect, mutual sensitivity, and mutual interest — as the guiding principles for the relationship going forward.

Modi also stressed that peace and tranquillity along the border areas remains 'an essential basis for the continued development of bilateral relations,' and underlined the need for both sides to observe existing agreements and understandings on border-related issues, according to the MEA statement.

Border Question and Long-Term Resolution

'The two leaders expressed commitment to a fair, reasonable, and mutually acceptable resolution of the boundary question proceeding from the political perspective of their overall bilateral relations and the long-term interests of the two peoples,' the MEA statement read. This language signals a continued effort to institutionalise dialogue on the boundary dispute rather than allow flashpoints to escalate — a posture India has maintained consistently since the Galwan clashes of 2020, which resulted in fatalities on both sides and severely strained ties.

Notably, this is at least the third high-level interaction between Modi and Xi in recent months — they had a brief exchange at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan on 31 August, and had previously met on the sidelines of the SCO Summit in Tianjin in August 2025. The frequency of contact marks a deliberate diplomatic tempo aimed at stabilising the relationship.

Trade Imbalance and Economic Agenda

On the economic front, both leaders acknowledged outstanding concerns. The MEA statement noted that they 'underlined the need to address each other's concerns, including structural trade imbalance and supply chain issues, and facilitation of meaningful and predictable market access.' India has long flagged its widening trade deficit with China as a structural concern, and the explicit mention of 'meaningful and predictable market access' suggests New Delhi is pressing Beijing for greater reciprocity in commercial engagement.

Both leaders also took note of progress in people-to-people ties and called for further promotion of cultural exchanges, business linkages, and greater mobility between the two countries.

BRICS Summit Backdrop

Earlier on Saturday, Prime Minister Modi warmly welcomed President Xi and other BRICS leaders at the summit venue, with the iconic Ramanathaswamy Temple in Rameswaram forming the ceremonial backdrop. Modi was reportedly seen briefly explaining the temple's historical and cultural significance to Xi during the welcome ceremony. The MEA statement noted that Modi 'appreciated China's support for India's BRICS chairship and its contributions towards the success of the BRICS Summit-2026.'

Both leaders also agreed to continue expanding common ground on regional and global issues — a formulation that reflects the broader multilateral context in which the two powers increasingly find themselves navigating shared platforms despite bilateral friction.

What Comes Next

The diplomatic momentum established through repeated high-level meetings will now need to translate into verifiable ground-level outcomes — particularly on border patrolling arrangements and trade access. Analysts will watch whether the 'three mutuals' framework outlined by Modi gains traction in working-level talks between the two foreign ministries in the months ahead.