After Years of Acrimony, Xi and Modi Signal a Thaw: ‘Partners, Not Rivals’

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with Chinese President Xi Jinping on August 31, 2025 on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit in Tianjin. Image via India's Ministry of External Affairs.

“Partners not rivals” was the key message that emerged from highly anticipated talks between Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit in Tianjin.

The two leaders, both under mounting pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump, sought to resolve five years of bitter acrimony over their contested border that sent ties between the two Asian neighbors into a deep freeze.

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by Eric Olander

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