New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi told Chinese President Xi Jinping that the future of India-China relations depends on peace along the border and should not be seen through the prism of a “third country.”
“The Prime Minister noted that both India and China advocate political autonomy and their relations should not be viewed through the mirror of a third country,” the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in a statement after the Modi-Xi meeting on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Tianjin.
According to sources, the “third country mirror” refers partly to the United States and partly to Pakistan. The message, they said, underscores that New Delhi sees its ties with Beijing as independent, even though India is part of the Quad grouping with the US, Japan and Australia. Pakistan, meanwhile, continues to position itself as a China-backed player on India’s western front.
The meeting comes amid strains in India-US relations over Washington’s tariff policies, making Modi’s engagement with Xi closely watched.
The long-standing border issue also figured in the talks. “The Prime Minister emphasized the importance of peace and tranquility in the border areas for the continued development of bilateral relations,” the MEA said.
Both leaders agreed to seek a “fair, reasonable and mutually acceptable solution” to the border dispute while expressing satisfaction over the situation along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) after troop withdrawals in October last year.
They also agreed to support measures discussed during the 24th round of Special Representative-level talks between National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in New Delhi on August 19. Both Doval and Wang were present during the Modi-Xi meeting.
