BRI to border question: key issues that remain unaddressed in PM Modi's big Tianjin win

Prime Minister Narendra Modi with Chinese President Xi Jinping during a meeting, in Tianjin, China on August 31, 2025. | Photo Credit: PMO

Apart from the all-significant Tianjin declaration that included strong language against the “cross-border movement of terrorists”, the bilaterals with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of SCO summit, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's China visit is being seen to have articulated a clear message from the government on a shift in its foreign policy outlook, more than any other immediate outcomes. PM Modi’s visit to China was his first in seven years. It was also his first in-person presence at the SCO in three years.

With the substantial bilaterals and the collective condemnation of cross-border terrorism dominating the headlines in Tianjin, limited conversation around the big border question (de-escalation along LAC in eastern Ladakh) and New Delhi's outright refusal to endorse China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) at the SCO failed to get adequate reportage.

The unaddressed border question

At the Modi-Xi Tianjin meeting, the key difference was in the emphasis placed on the border dispute relative to overall bilateral ties. Modi told Xi that “after the disengagement at the border, an atmosphere of peace and stability is now in place”. He emphasised the importance of peace on the border “for continued development of bilateral relations”.

On the other hand, Xi reiterated the Chinese position when he said that the two countries “should not allow the boundary question to define the overall China-India relations”. However, both agreed that they were “partners not rivals” and needed to ensure they would not allow “differences to become disputes”. And both agreed on their commitment to “a fair, reasonable and mutually acceptable” settlement of the border issue. While disengagement has taken place along the LAC in eastern Ladakh, de-escalation is yet to happen. Some 50,000–60,000 troops are still deployed on either side of the LoAC in the region.

When New Delhi opposed China's BRI at SCO

New Delhi refused once again to endorse China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Tianjin on Monday. New Delhi remained the only member to reject the connectivity project, even as Russia, Belarus, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan reaffirmed support for Beijing's venture.

India has consistently opposed the BRI, citing its inclusion of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), which runs through Pakistan-Occupied-Kashmir. At the summit, Prime Minister Narendra Modi stressed that connectivity must not compromise sovereignty. "We believe that every effort towards connectivity must uphold the principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity. This is also enshrined in the core principles of the SCO Charter," he said.

Summit marked by substantial bilaterals

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's bilaterals -- with Xi Jinping first and then with Vladimir Putin was the big highlight form Tianjin. PM Modi had a nearly 50-minute long bilateral meeting with Xi Jinping in his first visit to China in eight years. The meeting with Putin also lasted around 50 minutes but the two leaders had another conversation lasting as long in the car as they drove together to the meeting venue on Putin’s request. These were very substantial meetings with important issues being discussed thread-bare. Resumption of direct India-China flights, and Putin’s visit to India this December, have been sealed after these bilateral meets. Modi was clearly the centre-piece at the SCO Summit.

Joint statement on Pahalgam

Another big win for New Delhi was the inclusion of the Pahalgam terror attack in the SCO Joint statement this time – something that did not happen during the earlier SCO meeting. Modi, in his speech at the SCO Summit, trained guns at Pakistan by asking: “Can the open support for terrorism by certain countries ever be acceptable to us?" Tianjin declaration included strong language against the “cross-border movement of terrorists”, albeit condemning the Pahalgam attack and attacks in Balochistan against Pakistani forces, in equal measure.

When PM Modi skipped China's military parade

The presence of Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and the subsequent absence of PM Modi during China's largest military parade on September 3 has led foreign affairs experts to deduce a lot more from the event, then it has been written about. China held its largest military parade in history on September 3. The parade, which marked the 80th anniversary of Japan's formal surrender in World War II, was attended by world leaders. Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un were also present. But the most notable absence from the parade was Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The military parade came against the backdrop of the recently concluded Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Summit in the port city of Tianjin, where India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that terrorism remains a challenge for all of humanity, and that “double standards” won’t be accepted.