TFP Bureau, Tianjin (China), August 31, 2025: Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a series of high-level bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit in Tianjin on Sunday, engaging with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Myanmar’s Senior General Min Aung Hlaing. The meetings highlighted India’s diplomatic push to strengthen ties with neighboring countries while emphasizing peace, cooperation and regional stability.
During his meeting with President Xi Jinping, both leaders welcomed the positive momentum in relations since their last interaction in Kazan in October 2024. They reaffirmed their view that India and China are development partners and not rivals, stressing that differences should not be allowed to turn into disputes. Acknowledging the importance of peace and tranquility along the border, the leaders noted with satisfaction last year’s disengagement and the subsequent calm in the border areas. They also reiterated their commitment to a fair, reasonable and mutually acceptable resolution of the boundary issue, building upon the progress made in recent talks between their Special Representatives.
The talks also addressed economic cooperation, with both sides underlining the importance of strengthening bilateral trade, reducing imbalances and working towards a more stable global trading environment. Expanding people-to-people ties through direct flights, visa facilitation, and resumption of the Kailash Manasarovar Yatra were recognized as key measures to foster closer relations. Prime Minister Modi further emphasized that India and China, as nations pursuing strategic autonomy, should not allow their relations to be viewed through the prism of a third country.
On multilateral fronts, Prime Minister Modi expressed India’s support for China’s Presidency of the SCO and extended an invitation to President Xi to attend the BRICS Summit hosted by India in 2026. President Xi welcomed the invitation and assured support to India’s forthcoming BRICS Presidency. Prime Minister Modi also met with Cai Qi, a senior member of the Communist Party of China’s Politburo Standing Committee, seeking his backing to advance the shared vision of the two leaders.
Later, Prime Minister Modi held talks with Senior General Min Aung Hlaing of Myanmar. Highlighting Myanmar’s importance in India’s “Neighborhood First,” “Act East” and Indo-Pacific strategies, the two leaders reviewed bilateral ties, particularly in the fields of development partnership, defence, security, border management and trade. The Prime Minister stressed the urgency of progressing on connectivity projects, noting that such initiatives would not only benefit both nations but also strengthen regional integration.
The discussions also touched upon Myanmar’s political future, with Prime Minister Modi expressing hope that the forthcoming elections would be inclusive, transparent and credible. Reiterating India’s longstanding support for a Myanmar-led peace process, he emphasized dialogue and consultation as the only viable path to stability. He also assured India’s readiness to continue supporting Myanmar’s developmental aspirations.
The back-to-back meetings underscore India’s diplomatic outreach to strengthen ties with key neighbors, balancing strategic, economic and security considerations while reinforcing its role as a stabilizing force in the region.
