Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi held bilateral talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping this morning, during his first visit to China in seven years, in a strong message to the US against the backdrop of the hefty tariffs that have brought the two Asian neighbours closer.

The two leaders met on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in the city of Tianjin, a day after the Prime Minister landed in China to attend the meeting that would see the participation of Russian President Vladimir Putin and a dozen other global leaders.

The meeting lasted about an hour.

During his meeting with Jinping, he told the Chinese leader that the interests of 2.8 billion people of both countries are linked to India-China cooperation. "This will also pave the way for the welfare of the entire humanity. We are committed to taking our relations forward on the basis of mutual trust, respect, and sensitivity," PM Modi told President Xi Jinping.

It is PM Modi and Xi's first meeting in about 10 months, the last being in Russia's Kazan during the BRICS summit. Recalling their Kazan meeting, the Indian leader said that the two sides had "very fruitful discussions" that gave a positive direction to New Delhi-Beijing ties.

The meeting follows a thaw in India-China ties for the first time since the Galwan 2020 clashes, with a key focus on improving their bilateral relations. "After the disengagement on the border, an atmosphere of peace and stability has been created," said PM Modi, noting, "An agreement has been reached between our Special Representatives regarding border management. Kailash Mansarovar Yatra has been resumed. Direct flights between the two countries are also being resumed."

It also assumes significance in view of strained ties with the US over President Donald Trump's punitive tariffs for buying Russian oil. Trump has imposed 50% tariffs on India, which, former federal officials and top diplomats feared, would bring India and China closer, despite years of American efforts to pull them apart. Facing high tariffs, India is now expected to diversify its trade and build closer ties with China.

Before arriving in Tianjin, PM Modi said strong ties with China will have a positive impact on regional peace and prosperity. "Stable, predictable, and amicable bilateral relations between India and China can have a positive impact on regional and global peace and prosperity," he told Japanese media, calling the India-China ties "crucial for a multi-polar Asia and the world".

His China visit follows less than two weeks after Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi's India trip that added to the rapidly normalising India-China ties. While in India, Yi had held talks with Foreign Minister S Jaishankar and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval. He had also met PM Modi in India.