Xi Jinping and Narendra Modi meet on the sidelines of the BRICS summit

Chinese President Xi Jinping told Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday that China and India, as the world’s most populous nations and key members of the Global South, bore “significant responsibilities” in an international landscape “fraught with turbulence and change”.

That message framed why the two sides should work together despite their differences. Xi said that although the countries had different national circumstances, “there is ample scope for us to learn from each other’s strengths, offer mutual support, achieve shared success and pursue common development”.

The two leaders met on the sidelines of the Brics summit in New Delhi, where trade, investment, the long-running border dispute and the normalisation of ties took centre stage.

“We must keep the future of humanity and the well-being of our people at heart, join hands to drive high-quality cooperation within the expanded Brics framework, advocate for an equal and orderly multipolar world and an economic globalisation that is universally beneficial and inclusive, and inject greater positive energy into promoting global peace, stability, development, and prosperity,” the Chinese leader said.

The meeting began at 5.45pm local time. Cai Qi, a close aide to Xi and China’s fifth-ranking official, and Foreign Minister Wang Yi took part in the meeting.

India was represented by National Security Adviser Ajit Doval, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri and Vikram Doraiswami, India’s ambassador to China.