China and India are partners, not rivals, says Xi Jinping in Modi meeting at BRICS Summit

Chinese President Xi Jinping said on Saturday that China and India are partners, not rivals, and represent opportunities rather than threats for each other's development. The statement came during his meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the sidelines of the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi, according to China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The two leaders have met twice in the past two years, guiding China-India relations from a "restart" to "further enhancement," the Ministry said. Institutional exchanges have resumed, cooperation areas have expanded, and bilateral trade has reached new highs. PM Modi welcomed Xi to India and thanked China for its support during India's BRICS Chairship.

Both countries acknowledged their different national conditions and stressed the importance of learning from each other's strengths. As the world's two most populous nations and Global South members, they pledged to work together on BRICS cooperation and promote global peace and development.