New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi, wo is on a two-day visit to Japan, said on Friday that India and China, as two major economies, must work together to bring stability to the global economic order, amid the volatility triggered by US President Donald Trump’s global tariffs.
Modi, who will be flying from Japan to China on Sunday to attend the SCO Summit in Tianjin, opined that stable, predictable and friendly relations between India and China are vital for global peace and stability.
“Given the current volatility in the world economy, it is also important for India and China, as two major economies, to work together to bring stability to the world economic order,” Modi said in an interview with the Japanese daily Yomiuri Shimbun.
“India is ready to advance bilateral relations from a strategic and long-term perspective on the basis of mutual respect, mutual interest and mutual sensitivity, and to enhance strategic communication to address our developmental challenges,” Modi added.
Highlighting recent improvements in bilateral ties with China, the Indian PM said that these relations hold significance not only for the two countries but also for the wider Asian region.
“Stable, predictable, and amicable bilateral relations between India and China, as two neighbours and the two largest nations on earth, can have a positive impact on regional and global peace and prosperity. This is also crucial for a multi-polar Asia and a multi-polar world,” Modi said.
Modi is scheduled to hold a one-on-one meeting with President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of SCO Summit.
Modi remarked that since his meeting with President Xi during the BRICS Summit in Russia’s Kazan last October, there has been “steady and positive progress” in India-China relations. He said the upcoming summit offers an important platform to discuss shared interests and address regional challenges.
The 2020 Galwan clashes near Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Ladakh led to a prolonged period of heightened border tensions and strained diplomatic ties between India and China.
Since agreeing to de-escalate tensions since the end of 2024, the two nations have focussed on diplomatic engagement, resulting in disengagement of troops from certain contested areas along the LAC. There have been positive developments in economic cooperation too, with China easing curbs on key exports to India and agreeing to resume direct flights and border trade.
China and India have been hit hard by President Donald Trump’s decision to impose harsh tariffs. The US has imposed a 50 per cent tariff on India, comprising 25 per cent import duties and an additional 25 per cent levy for purchasing Russian oil.
China faces a cumulative 145 per cent tariff, including a 125 per cent reciprocal tariff on top of existing duties. Its implementation, however, has been deferred for now.
