Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s meeting with Cai Qi, a close aide of Chinese President Xi Jinping, has sent a strong diplomatic signal. The dialogue took place during the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Tianjin and marked a rare, high-level engagement between India and China.
Cai Qi, a senior Communist Party leader and Xi’s trusted ally, met PM Modi for more than 45 minutes. Their discussions focused on normalising ties between the two Asian powers. Observers noted that Cai rarely meets foreign leaders, making this meeting a significant development.
President Xi reportedly instructed Cai to personally engage with PM Modi. This move signals Beijing’s intent to improve bilateral relations. Diplomats see it as a direct message to anti-India voices within China’s political circles.
India has made it clear that its relationship with China will not be held back by Beijing’s ties with Pakistan. Instead, New Delhi is taking gradual steps to return to pre-2020 levels of cooperation. The two sides also showed interest in working together on global issues such as trade, climate change, and terrorism.
The meeting also strengthens hopes for progress in resolving border tensions. High-level military talks are expected to continue, helping demarcate non-contentious areas along the Line of Actual Control.
Analysts say Modi’s engagements with both President Xi and Cai Qi reflect a shift toward stability. For India and China, cooperation at the multilateral level may pave the way for regional peace and global growth.