Beijing, 31 August 2025 (dpa/MIA) - Chinese President Xi Jinping on Sunday called for better cooperation with India, a sign of improving ties between the two nuclear powers whose relations have long been mired by territorial disputes.

China and India are partners, not rivals, Xi told Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in the city of Tianjin, in what marks Modi's fist trip to China in seven years.

Both countries represent development opportunities for each other and not threats, Xi was quoted as saying by state news agency Xinhua.

It comes amid a recent thaw in relations between the world's two most populous countries and nuclear powers following long-standing border disputes in the Himalayas.

During his one-hour meeting with Xi, Modi praised the progress achieved in the conflict, which escalated in 2020 leaving 20 Indian and four Chinese soldiers dead in the Himalayan region of Ladakh.

India and China fought a brief border war in 1962 and dispute several sections along their ill-defined, 3,500-kilometre border.

Xi and Modi held their first talks after the dispute in Russia last year on the sidelines of a BRICS summit, indicating the first major thaw in relations following the deadly clashes.

During a recent meeting in India, the two sides agreed to a 10-point plan to achieve "peace and calm" along their shared border. They also plan to resume tourist visas and direct flights.

A new world order?

The talks in Tianjin, which are also attended by Russian President Vladimir Putin, are likely to be closely watched by Washington, which recently slapped 50% tariffs on Indian imports to punish New Delhi for continuing to purchase oil from Moscow despite its ongoing invasion of Ukraine.

Ahead of his departure, Putin vowed to reinvigorate the idea of a multipolar world order during his four-day trip to China, where he is also set to attend a large-scale military parade in Beijing.

China remains India's most important trading partner and is expected that the three leaders might expand cooperation to counter US influence.

However, observers believe it is unlikely that New Delhi will turn its back on Washington entirely, as both countries share security interests.

Both are members of the Quad partnership, alongside Japan and Australia, which is aiming to push back China's influence in the Indo-Pacific region.

Modi arrived in China on the heels of a visit to Japan, where Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba agreed to double private investment in India to 10 billion yen ($68 million) over the next 10 years.

Largest SCO summit since inception

The SCO summit in Tianjin, which is due to run until Monday, will be the largest since the organization was founded 24 years ago to combat terrorism and deepen economic cooperation, according to Beijing.

China, the current chair, expects representatives from 20 countries and 10 organizations to attend.

The SCO now has 10 member states. In addition to founders Russia, China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, it also includes India, Pakistan, Iran since 2023 and Belarus since 2024.

In the course of the gathering, Xi is expected to deliver several speeches and make announcements at the 25th meeting.

A joint declaration is also planned, while will also host a banquet for participants.