China's President Xi Jinping said China and India were "good neighbours, friends and partners" as he wished President Droupadi Murmu congratulations on the South Asian nation's Republic Day, the official Xinhua news agency reported on Monday.
Xi said that over the past year, China-India relations have continued to improve and develop and are of "great significance for maintaining and promoting world peace and prosperity," according to Xinhua.
Xi Jinping calls India a "good neighbours"
Xi said China has always believed that being "good neighbours, friends and partners" is the right choice for both China and India. He referred to China and India as the "dragon and the elephant dancing together," Xinhua said.
Xi said he hoped that both sides would expand exchanges and cooperation and address each other's concerns to promote healthy and stable relations.
India-China border tensions
The nuclear-armed Asian neighbours share a 3,800 km (2,400-mile) border. Ties between the countries were shaken by a 2020 clash in which 20 Indian and Chinese soldiers died in hand-to-hand combat. After that, the Himalayan border was heavily militarised by both sides.
Both countries began improving ties last year after staging a series of high-level bilateral visits. Direct flights resumed in 2025 as both countries stepped up trade and investment flows against the backdrop of US President Donald Trump's combative foreign policy.
Xi's 'Friends' pitch to India amid Trump's Tariff Tantrum
1.Strategic timing, not sentiment: Xi’s warm "good neighbours, friends and partners" message comes as Donald Trump ramps up tariff threats globally. Beijing is signalling to New Delhi that China prefers stability with India while facing renewed economic pressure from Washington.
2. Economic cushion against US pressure: By invoking cooperation and trade, China is quietly pitching India as a potential economic counterweight to US-led trade disruptions. Improved India ties help Beijing soften the impact of Trump's protectionist moves.
3. Border tensions pushed to the backseat: The "dragon and elephant dancing together" phrase is a deliberate attempt to sideline unresolved border disputes and project normalcy, even as the Line of Actual Control remains heavily militarised.
4. Diplomatic messaging to Washington: Xi's outreach is not just for India. It tells the US that China has options and partners in Asia, and that Trump's tariff tantrums may push regional powers closer rather than isolate Beijing.
5. India's balancing act gets tougher: For New Delhi, the message is a reminder that improved China ties can bring economic gains, but strategic distrust remains. India must balance engagement with Beijing without weakening its growing alignment with the US.
(With inputs from Reuters)