'Our soldiers died, they hug': Congress slams BJP-CPC meeting as ‘mixed signals’ on India-China ties

The meeting took place amid ongoing diplomatic efforts to stabilise India-China relations following prolonged military tensions along the Line of Actual Control.

• Congress criticizes BJP for hosting Chinese Communist Party amid border tensions
• BJP says meeting aimed at advancing inter-party communication with CPC
• Congress questions lack of media scrutiny over BJP-CPC meeting

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The Congress, on Tuesday, criticised the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for hosting a delegation from the Communist Party of China (CPC) at its headquarters, calling the engagement “mixed signals” amid ongoing border tensions.

Congress leader Supriya Shrinate alleged that while China continues to occupy parts of Ladakh and is “settling villages in Arunachal Pradesh,” BJP leaders were meeting the CPC in the national capital.

“Our brave soldiers were martyred in Galwan. China is sitting on encroached land in Ladakh and building villages in Arunachal. And here, BJP leaders are exchanging hugs,” she said, questioning the lack of media scrutiny of the meeting.

यह फोटो BJP दफ्तर की है BJP के नेता और चीन की कम्युनिस्ट पार्टी के नेताओं के बीच मीटिंग हो रही है ऑपरेशन सिंदूर में चीन ने पाकिस्तान का साथ दिया गलवान में हमारे जांबाज़ों की शहादत हुई चीन लद्दाख में अतिक्रमण किए बैठा है अरुणाचल में गांव बसा रहा है और यहाँ गलबहैया चल रही… pic.twitter.com/oMUr0QsyKd

— Supriya Shrinate (@SupriyaShrinate) January 13, 2026

The remarks came after the BJP Foreign Affairs Department in-charge Vijay Chauthaiwale confirmed that a CPC delegation led by Sun Haiyan, Vice Minister of the International Department of the CPC Central Committee (IDCPC), visited the BJP headquarters on Monday. He said the discussions focused on advancing inter-party communication between the BJP and the CPC. Chinese Ambassador to India Xu Feihong was also present.

BJP national general secretary Arun Singh, who led the BJP delegation, said the meeting centred on enhancing dialogue and interaction between the two parties.

Notably, the Congress' latest dig at the BJP also revives earlier political sparring between the two parties over ties with China.

Earlier, in 2020, BJP president JP Nadda had accused the Congress of compromising national interests after it signed a memorandum of understanding with the CPC in 2008, alleging that the agreement weakened India’s position during subsequent border standoffs. The Congress has consistently rejected those charges.

The BJP, however, has maintained that inter-party interactions with foreign political parties are part of routine diplomatic engagement and do not undermine India’s national interest or official foreign policy positions.

The meeting took place amid ongoing diplomatic efforts to stabilise India-China relations following prolonged military tensions along the Line of Actual Control.