After five tense years, India, China move to rebuild ties: border, trade, flights

NEW DELHI, August 20: "I am looking forward to meeting President Xi," Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi told visiting Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in New Delhi on 19 August, 2025.

- BY S VENKAT NARAYAN.

"Stable, predictable, constructive ties between India and China will contribute significantly to regional as well as global peace and prosperity," he said.

Wang handed over a letter from Xi inviting Modi to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) leaders' summit in Tianjin on August 31September 1. Modi happily accepted the invitation.

Modi's remarks came as New Delhi and Beijing agreed on resumption of direct flights, border trade, facilitating trade and investments, and at least three border-related new mechanisms, signalling headway made in rebuilding ties after five years of a tense border standoff.

After Wang called on him in New Delhi, Modi said in a post on X: "Glad to meet Foreign Minister Wang Yi. Since my meeting with President Xi in Kazan last year, India-China relations have made steady progress guided by respect for each other's interests and sensitivities. I look forward to our next meeting in Tianjin on the sidelines of the SCO Summit. Stable, predictable, constructive ties between India and China will contribute significantly to regional as well as global peace and prosperity." The Prime Minister's Office said, "Prime Minister emphasised the importance of maintaining peace and tranquillity on the border, and reiterated India's commitment to a fair, reasonable and mutually acceptable resolution of the boundary question." "Prime Minister welcomed the steady and positive progress in bilateral ties since his meeting with President Xi in Kazan last year, guided by mutual respect, mutual interest and mutual sensitivity, including the resumption of the Kailash Manasarovar Yatra," it said.

At least three new mechanisms or groups on the India-China border issues are being formed.