India, China Reset Ties Ahead of Modi-Xi BRICS Summit — SkimNews
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- Modi and Xi Jinping will hold talks on September 12 on the sidelines of the BRICS summit in New Delhi, marking Xi's first visit to India in seven years
- The 2020 Galwan Valley clash in Indian-administered Ladakh killed at least 20 Indian and 4 Chinese soldiers — their first deadly military confrontation since 1975 — after Indian soldiers set fire to two tents and observation towers they said were on their side of the disputed border
- India retaliated by tightening scrutiny of Chinese investments, banning popular Chinese mobile apps, and severing direct passenger air links with China
- The two nations reached a disengagement pact in October 2024, pulling troops back from five standoff locations, with the remaining two completed by December
- China was India's largest source of imports in fiscal year 2025/2026 at US$132 billion, including more than 100 products deemed critical to Indian factories
- Trade friction persists despite the thaw, with industry executives flagging visa delays and bottlenecks in procuring Chinese equipment for electronics and infrastructure
- China's role in India's 2025 conflict with Pakistan — where Pakistan relied heavily on Chinese-made fighter jets and missiles during the four-day fighting — continues to complicate bilateral ties
Why it matters: China supplies US$132 billion in goods to India, including over 100 products deemed critical to Indian factories, giving Beijing deep economic leverage even as the two countries rebuild trust. Yet a roughly 3,800km disputed border, continued military deployments along the frontier, and Beijing's backing of Pakistan during the 2025 India-Pakistan war leave core security frictions unresolved — making the BRICS meeting a test of whether commercial normalization can outpace strategic distrust.
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