The Congress on Saturday sharply criticised the Centre over Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Tianjin, raising questions about India’s stance on border tensions, Galwan Valley clashes, and Beijing’s growing alignment with Pakistan.
Party spokesperson Jairam Ramesh, in a post on X, asked whether the “new normal” for India was to be defined by “Chinese aggression, bullying, and the Government’s spinelessness.” He recalled the June 2020 Galwan Valley clash, where 20 Indian soldiers lost their lives, alleging that instead of holding China accountable, PM Modi “gave them a clean chit.”
Ramesh also referred to recent comments by Lt. Gen Rahul Singh, who highlighted China’s cooperation with Pakistan during Operation Sindoor. “Rather than respond to this unholy alliance, the Modi Government has quietly accepted it and is rewarding China with state visits,” he said.
The Congress further accused the Government of ignoring China’s massive hydropower project on the Yarlung Tsangpo river, unchecked Chinese imports hurting MSMEs, and Beijing’s open support to Pakistan. “In response to these nefarious actions, Narendra Modi shook hands with Xi Jinping with a smile,” the INC wrote in Hindi.
Meanwhile, during the bilateral talks, PM Modi stressed that India-China relations should progress on the basis of ‘mutual trust, respect and sensitivity.’ He highlighted agreements on border management, the resumption of the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra, and direct flight connectivity between the two countries. Modi also praised the progress made since disengagements along the border and congratulated China on its successful SCO chairmanship.
This was Modi’s first visit to China in more than seven years, where he said cooperation between the two nations would not only benefit 2.8 billion people but also contribute to global welfare.
