New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a bilateral meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping on September 12, 2026, on the sidelines of the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi. The two leaders reviewed the progress in India-China relations and discussed the way forward across key areas, including the boundary question, trade, people-to-people exchanges and cooperation on regional and global issues.
The meeting came against the backdrop of efforts by both countries to stabilise and improve bilateral relations. Prime Minister Modi and President Xi welcomed the steady progress in ties since their previous meeting in Tianjin in August 2025 and agreed that India-China relations should be viewed from a strategic and long-term perspective.
Differences Should Not Become Disputes
A key message emerging from the discussions was the need to manage differences responsibly while expanding areas of cooperation.
Prime Minister Modi underlined that the relationship should be guided by the principles of mutual respect, mutual sensitivity and mutual interest. Both leaders reaffirmed the importance of ensuring that differences between the two countries do not develop into disputes.
The approach reflects an effort to create greater stability in the relationship while recognising that India and China continue to have differences on several important issues.
Border Peace Remains Essential
The boundary question remained an important part of the Modi-Xi conversation.
Prime Minister Modi emphasised that peace and tranquillity in the border areas are an essential foundation for the continued development of India-China relations. He stressed the importance of observing existing agreements and understandings related to border issues.
Both leaders expressed their commitment to pursuing a fair, reasonable and mutually acceptable resolution of the boundary question, taking into account the overall political perspective of bilateral relations and the long-term interests of the people of both countries.
The emphasis on maintaining peace along the border highlights the importance India attaches to stability in the border regions as the two countries work towards improving wider bilateral engagement.
Focus on Trade, Market Access and Supply Chains
Economic and trade cooperation also featured prominently in the discussions.
Prime Minister Modi and President Xi acknowledged the need to address each other’s concerns in economic relations, including structural trade imbalance, supply chain issues and the facilitation of meaningful and predictable market access.
The discussion indicates a focus on addressing practical challenges in the economic relationship while exploring opportunities for stronger business engagement between the two countries.
Strengthening People-to-People Connections
The two leaders also took note of progress in people-to-people ties and agreed on the need to further strengthen engagement between the societies of India and China.
They underscored the importance of promoting cultural exchanges, business linkages and greater mobility between the two countries.
Improved people-to-people engagement could play an important role in building greater understanding and supporting broader efforts to stabilise bilateral relations.
Expanding Cooperation on Regional and Global Issues
Beyond bilateral matters, Prime Minister Modi and President Xi also discussed the importance of expanding common ground on regional and global issues and addressing shared challenges.
The discussions took place at a time when both India and China are playing significant roles in international and multilateral platforms. Their engagement at the BRICS Summit reflected the importance of dialogue and coordination on issues affecting the wider Global South and the evolving international order.
China Appreciates India’s BRICS Leadership
Prime Minister Modi also appreciated China’s support for India’s BRICS Chairship and its contribution to the successful conduct of the BRICS Summit 2026.
The 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi brought together leaders to discuss cooperation across political and security issues, economic and financial matters, as well as cultural and people-to-people engagement. The summit was held under the theme “Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability.”
A Significant Step in India-China Engagement
The Modi-Xi meeting marked another important high-level engagement between the two Asian nations.
While important differences, particularly regarding the boundary question, remain, the discussions reflected a shared emphasis on maintaining dialogue, managing differences and expanding areas of mutual cooperation.
With border peace, economic concerns, market access, cultural exchanges and cooperation on regional and global challenges forming the core of the conversation, the meeting at BRICS 2026 highlighted the continuing effort to place India-China relations on a more stable and forward-looking path.
As both countries move ahead, the progress of their relationship will depend on continued communication, adherence to existing understandings and the ability to balance differences with areas of shared interest.