India has independent policy: China praises PM Modi's message on bilateral ties

Xi Jinping and PM Modi held bilateral talks on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit in New Delhi. China said his remarks on strategic autonomy and managing differences could shape the next phase of ties.

In Short

• China welcomes PM Modi's independent foreign policy stance
• Xi and PM Modi held their third meeting in three years in Delhi
• Beijing said recent engagement progressed from Kazan to Tianjin and now Delhi

China has welcomed Prime Minister Narendra Modi's assertion that India follows an independent foreign policy and that its engagement with Beijing is not influenced by any third country, describing the message as significant for the future of China-India relations.

The comments came after Chinese President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Narendra Modi met on the sidelines of the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi and held bilateral talks. It was Xi's first bilateral visit to India in seven years. The meeting was the third interaction between the two leaders in three years and was described by Beijing as another important step in efforts to improve bilateral ties.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said the latest meeting represented a reaffirmation of the direction in which China-India relations have been moving, from the restart of engagement in Kazan to further progress in Tianjin and now New Delhi.

"The most important consensus reached is that China and India should be partners," Guo said at a press conference.

CHINA WELCOMES PM MODI’S INDEPENDENT FOREIGN POLICY MESSAGE

Beijing particularly outlined PM's remarks on India's strategic autonomy and its approach towards China.

According to Guo, PM Modi said that "India has an independent foreign policy", that the development of India-China relations was "not affected by any third party" and that India would not permit any force to conduct anti-China activities from its territory.

"China values Prime Minister Modi's statements," Guo said.

The remarks underline an effort by both sides to place their bilateral relationship on a more independent footing, amid border tenisons.

Guo said Xi had stressed that China and India have different national circumstances but should seek to benefit from each other's strengths while supporting each other's development.

"To promote the steady and sustained development of China-India relations, both sides need to calibrate the direction with an objective and rational strategic perception," he said. The Chinese official also called for the two countries to address differences through "mutual respect and mutual understanding" while expanding cooperation.

The two leaders agreed that development should remain the key focus of the bilateral relationship. China and India are the world's two most populous countries and major members of the Global South. Beijing said both countries should therefore concentrate on economic development, expand friendly exchanges and mutually beneficial cooperation, and work to improve public perceptions of their relationship.

Economic and trade issues also featured prominently in the understanding reached between the two sides.

Guo said China and India should address each other's economic and trade concerns in a balanced manner and work towards the "sound and steady development" of bilateral economic relations. The two countries also agreed to strengthen cooperation through multilateral platforms, particularly BRICS and the wider Global South.

BORDER DISPUTES TO BE HANDLED CAREFULLY

Despite efforts to improve ties, differences between China and India remain, particularly over their long-standing border dispute. The two leaders agreed that disputes and disagreements should be properly managed to preserve peace and tranquillity along the border, according to the Chinese Foreign Ministry.

Beijing said improved China-India relations would benefit not only the people of the two countries but also wider cooperation among developing nations. China now intends to build on the understandings reached between Xi and PM Modi by expanding areas of cooperation, increasing people-to-people exchanges and strengthening coordination in multilateral forums.

Xi's visit to New Delhi was also centred on the future direction of BRICS, with China preparing to assume the grouping's chairship next year.

This year marks two decades of BRICS cooperation. Xi described the grouping's evolution through three themes: "self-reliance and self-strengthening, standing together through wind and rain, and fruitful outcomes".

CHINA TO LEAD BRICS NEXT YEAR

China will take over the BRICS chairship next year and host the 19th BRICS Summit.

Beijing has indicated that it wants to use its chairship to build consensus among member states and map out the next phase of cooperation. During the New Delhi summit, Xi proposed an open-source and inclusive artificial intelligence initiative, a digital industry cooperation initiative and an intelligent manufacturing cooperation initiative.

China also announced several practical measures, including plans to establish a BRICS AI open-source community, create a BRICS digital ecosystem cloud platform and launch a youth exchange programme focused on scientific and technological innovation.

Guo said China wants other Global South countries to strengthen their capacity to benefit from emerging technologies and share in technological development.

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