Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping affirmed their commitment to resolving the long-standing border dispute during a summit in New Delhi on Saturday, September 12. The meeting, held on the sidelines of the 11-nation BRICS summit, marked Xi's first visit to India since 2019 and signaled a further easing of tensions between the nuclear-armed neighbors. India's foreign ministry stated that both leaders expressed support for a "fair, reasonable, and mutually acceptable resolution" of the boundary issue, with Modi emphasizing adherence to existing border agreements. Xi, in a video statement, said the two countries should complement each other's strengths and advance together despite differences.
China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs echoed this, noting both sides agreed to maintain peace and tranquility along the border and to pursue parallel progress in bilateral relations and dispute resolution. The leaders held a "sincere and in-depth exchange" and reached a consensus that China and India should be partners, according to Beijing. Xi said he has met Modi twice in the past two years, guiding relations from "starting afresh to making further improvements." The visit comes six years after a deadly military clash in the disputed Himalayan border region, after which ties gradually improved through resumed flights, visas, and high-level contacts. Despite this, the territorial dispute remains unresolved, and both nations continue to maintain heavy military deployments along their approximately 3,500 km border in the Tibetan plateau.
The reaffirmation of border talks comes years after a deadly clash and sustained military buildup, yet no timeline or mechanism for resolution was disclosed. Without concrete steps, the commitment risks being seen as diplomatic rhetoric rather than progress.
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