As far as this year's SCO Summit is concerned; India’s security apparatus views the Tianjin meet as well as bilateral engagements with China and Russia as part of a cautious balancing act.
India welcomes disengagement while remaining wary of Beijing’s long-term intentions along the Line of Actual Control (LAC). Chinese President did not miss to point out that the SCO represents nearly 40 per cent of world population and about 23 per cent of global economy.
So both Xi and Modi and also Vladimir Putin are keen to show a new framework emerging and also a new leadership against the western domination. Interestingly, the Summit this year spoke about the need to set up a SCO Development Fund. This is also a crucial step. However, the Summit and the bilaterals held between various countries --- is also about 'optics'.
To start with, it ought to be admitted that Beijing has able to give a message that Xi is a great 'convener' who has shown the ability to bring these key nations on the table.
India has emphasised for its part on the importance of “positive momentum” and “steady progress”.
Military planners in South Block mat say that the “peace and tranquility” cannot be selectively applied.
Somewhere it is also realised that China and India have to work restoration of the pre-2020 (Galwan conflict) status quo and clarity on patrolling rights. But a concern remains because there is still no clarity on de-escalation and de-induction by the Chinese military.
The Tianjin meeting highlighted satisfaction over last year’s disengagement and relative calm along the LAC.
Chinese infrastructure build-up across Tibet and Xinjiang continues at a rapid pace—new airstrips, roads and logistics hubs remain a reminder that Beijing’s long-term strategy is far from benign.
“A stable relationship and cooperation between India and China and their 2.8 billion peoples on the basis of mutual respect, mutual interest and mutual sensitivity are necessary for the growth and development of the two countries as well as for a multipolar world and a multi-polar Asia," the foreign ministry statement said.
"It was an element of consensus that stable and amicable India-China relationship can benefit 2.8 billion people of the two countries," said foreign secretary Vikram Misri.
Other varieties of interpretation are also important.
India's move towards China might be seen as a "strategic blow" to the US and hence the US embassy in New Delhi made quite a funny positing on X.
The summit is - generally again - seen as something aimed at boosting China's position as a global leader and countering Western influence.
The so-called positive signals between Modi and Xi are sure to be closely monitored in Washington
In 2025 - Trump has achieved to 'harm and negate' the efforts of US diplomats and former Presidents and also Indian leadership under Vajpayee and Dr Manmohan Singh to deepen ties with India as a key counterweight to a rising China.
Notably for India’s military-strategic establishment, the economic conversation cannot be divorced from security.
Indian defence policy makers argue for insulation of national security from economic interdependence.
This where, the PM Modi Govt's push for 'Indianisation' of defence production and diversification of supply chains have become all the more important.
While the US is engaged in trade battles with both allies and rivals, China is promoting economic cooperation with emerging economies like Turkey, Malaysia and Pakistan, according to the US media outlet.
Modi has made that message clear that "India and China both pursue strategic autonomy, and their relations should not be seen through a third country lens".
Ease on border issue also attracted attention from US media outlet. Sunday's meeting between Xi and Modi followed a rare diplomatic breakthrough in August, when New Delhi and Beijing agreed to explore demarcating their disputed border — a key step toward resolving decades-old territorial tensions.
For the long-term development of the China-India relations, three key challenges including rebuilding strategic mutual trust,
-- properly handling the boundary question
** and restoring cooperation need to be addressed, Qian Feng, director of the research department at the National Strategy Institute at Tsinghua University, told the Global Times.
ends
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