PM Modi’s Call To Strengthen India-China Ties Despite Differences Pragmatic: Chinese Expert

Last Updated:March 17, 2025, 16:29 IST

PM Modi, in an interview with US-based podcaster and AI researcher Lex Fridman, said India and China were working to restore conditions to how they were before the 2020 border tension

PM Modi, in a podcast, said India and China were working to restore conditions to how they were before the 2020 border tension. (PTI File)

Chinese experts on Monday lauded what they called Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “pragmatic approach despite differences" towards the ties between the two counties.

PM Modi, in an interview with US-based podcaster and AI researcher Lex Fridman, which was released on Sunday, said India and China were working to restore conditions to how they were before the 2020 border tension. “Slowly but surely, trust, enthusiasm, and energy will return. But of course, it will take some time, since there’s been a five-year gap," said Modi.

“Our cooperation isn’t just beneficial, it’s also essential for global stability and prosperity. And since the 21st century is Asia’s century, we want India and China to compete in a healthy and natural way. Competition is not a bad thing, but it should never turn into conflict," Modi said.

“It is true that there have been ongoing border disputes between us. And in 2020, the incidents along the border created significant tensions between our countries. However, after my recent meeting with President Xi, we have seen a return to normalcy at the border. We are now working to restore conditions to how they were before 2020…," Modi said, in the podcast, with audio tracks in English (US), Hindi, Hindi Latin and Russian.

“Modi’s remarks underscore the Indian government’s current pragmatic approach to advancing India-China relations, building on the positive momentum since the Kazan summit of the leaders. His remarks align with the broader trend of bilateral ties returning to a path of stable and healthy development," Qian Feng, director of the research department at the Strategy Institute at Tsinghua University, told the Global Times.

The Global Times is a daily tabloid under the auspices of the Chinese Communist Party’s flagship newspaper, the People’s Daily, commenting on international issues from a Chinese nationalistic perspective.

Qian noted that since the meeting in Kazan, India-China relations made positive strides with both sides implementing the important consensus, strengthening exchanges at all levels and practical cooperation, resulting in a series of positive outcomes.

“After years of standoff, the India-China border issue has returned to a stable and manageable state. Moving forward, both sides may enter the next phase of negotiations, although the process could be lengthy. Healthy, natural competition is a normal part of international relations. Every country navigates both cooperation and competition, and China and India, as neighbouring major powers, are no exception. The key is to ensure that differences do not escalate into confrontation," Qian said.

“At the same time, India and China are at different stages of development, and competition in emerging industries is unavoidable. However, as long as this competition remains fair, constructive, and regulated, it can serve as a catalyst for both countries to strengthen their own growth and development. Competition is not a challenge to avoid but an opportunity to seize," said Qian.

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