By Ananya Sharma 
New Delhi, September 1: The handshake in Tianjin was formal, the smiles restrained, but the words carried unusual weight. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping agreed on something neither has been quick to say in recent years: India and China are “partners, not rivals.”
A Reset In The Air
The message was direct. Modi wants trade to be less one-sided, flights to resume, and visas to get easier. Xi chose a more symbolic register, dusting off the old line about the “Dragon and the Elephant” moving together in a changing world. It was a contrast in styles: Modi pressing on the deficits and details, Xi painting a picture of civilizational friendship.
But what mattered most was that they said it together, at the same table, after years of icy exchanges.
The Border Problem Doesn’t Disappear
Of course, no summit between Delhi and Beijing can dodge the frontier question. The two leaders admitted as much, calling for a settlement that is “fair, reasonable, and mutually acceptable.” The phrasing is familiar; Indian officials have been hearing it for decades.
The truth is, the Line of Actual Control remains tense. Since the Galwan clash of 2020, soldiers have stood eye to eye at multiple flashpoints. Each time commanders agree to pull back, reports of fresh infrastructure or troop movement surface weeks later. That cycle has worn down trust, and no declaration in Tianjin erases it.
Still, even repeating the need for calm matters. Both sides know an accident in the mountains could undo everything else on the agenda.
Trade: The Uneasy Backbone
The economic side of the relationship is both its strength and its sore spot. Trade touched $118 billion last year, but India’s deficit ballooned beyond $80 billion. That imbalance has been Delhi’s biggest complaint, and Modi pushed it again. India wants better access for pharmaceuticals, tech services, and farm goods sectors where it feels shut out of the Chinese market.
Xi, for his part, has every reason to listen. China’s economy is slowing, and losing India’s goodwill would only deepen its isolation as Western markets push back.
A small but symbolic step may be the return of direct flights and easier visas. Students stranded since the pandemic, business delegations, and pilgrims bound for Tibet have all been waiting. These measures won’t fix the trade gap, but they can rebuild a sliver of trust.
Why This Matters Now
There’s a larger backdrop here. Beijing is wrestling with economic uncertainty and strategic pressure from the United States. India, meanwhile, has grown more assertive as a voice for the Global South while strengthening its position in the Quad with Washington, Tokyo, and Canberra.
Both leaders know the risks of letting hostility define the relationship. For Xi, keeping India from drifting deeper into the Western camp is critical. For Modi, ensuring China doesn’t sabotage India’s growth story is just as vital.
That’s why Tianjin wasn’t about grand breakthroughs. It was about shifting the tone.
The Cautious Road Ahead
No one in Delhi is celebrating yet. Past resets, whether it was Rajiv Gandhi’s Beijing visit in 1988, Vajpayee’s 2003 trip, or even the Wuhan “informal summit” in 2018 were followed by disappointments. Declarations are easy; disengagement on the ground is not.
Diplomats hint that new working groups on borders, trade, and cultural exchanges could emerge from this meeting. If those groups actually deliver, Tianjin might be remembered as a turning point. If not, the words “partners, not rivals” will join a long list of slogans that fell flat.
For now, the meeting has bought time. That in itself is no small thing when the world’s two most populous nations share both a disputed border and a complicated future.
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- Ananya Sharmahttps://hindustanherald.in/author/ananya/
- Ananya Sharmahttps://hindustanherald.in/author/ananya/
- Ananya Sharmahttps://hindustanherald.in/author/ananya/
- Ananya Sharmahttps://hindustanherald.in/author/ananya/
Rajiv Menon