The focus has once again shifted to the Dragon-Elephant tango, amid strained ties with Uncle Sam. India and China relations took a big hit following the 2017 Doklam but US President Donald Trump’s tariff tantrum seems to be bringing the two economies closer now, despite their own struggles and whims.

In a push to straighten the tangled ties, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday (August 19) met Chinese Finance Minister Wang Yi, just days ahead of his first China visit in 7 years. Yi handed over message and invitation from President Xi Jinping to PM Modi for the SCO Summit being held in Tianjin.

Modi and Yi’s meeting focused on stable ties between India and China as both the countries face Trump’s intense heat on the tariff front. Elephant and Dragon are among the few nations that are facing high tariffs on their exports to the United States.

PM Modi-Wang Yi Meeting: What was discussed?

Chinese FM Yi called on Prime Minister Modi after his meeting with EAM Dr. S Jaishankar and the 24th Meeting of the Special Representatives, which he co-chaired with NSA Shri Ajit Doval during his visit. Yi shared his positive assessment of bilateral meeting with both of them.

Amid these testing times, PM Modi stressed on the importance of maintaining peace and tranquillity on the border, and reiterated India’s commitment to a fair, reasonable and mutually acceptable resolution of the boundary question. He also welcomed the steady and positive progress in bilateral ties since his meeting with President Xi in Kazan last year.

The progress in India-China bilateral ties is guided by mutual respect, mutual interest and mutual sensitivity, including the resumption of the Kailash Manasarovar Yatra. “Stable, predictable, constructive ties between India and China will contribute significantly to regional as well as global peace and prosperity,” PM Modi said.

Glad to meet Foreign Minister Wang Yi. Since my meeting with President Xi in Kazan last year, India-China relations have made steady progress guided by respect for each other’s interests and sensitivities. I look forward to our next meeting in Tianjin on the sidelines of the SCO… pic.twitter.com/FyQI6GqYKC

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 19, 2025

Are India-China ties really progressing?

Ever since the brutal 2017 Doklam standoff, there has been a deterioration in the relations between New Delhi and Beijing. However, there now seems to be some ease done. The Ministry of External Affairs had on April 26 informed about the resumption of Kailash Mansarovar Yatra, nearly 5 years after it was suspended.

Recognised as the abode of Lord Shiva, Kailash Mansarovar holds utmost religious significance for Hindus.

In another positive development between the two nations, India last month started issuing tourist visas to Chinese nationals, after a 5-year hiatus. Visas can be applied for online and obtained after an appointment at the Indian Embassy in Beijing and consulates in Shanghai and Guangzhou.

Both the countries are now also looking at resuming direct passenger flights as early as next month, a Bloomberg report said. Direct India to China flights were suspended following the Covid-19 pandemic, which was reported to have origins from Wuhan in China. An official announcement could come during the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit.

India-China relations: What’s next?

After his meeting with Yi, the prime minister also expressed support for China’s Presidency of the SCO Summit and said that he looked forward to meeting President Xi in Tianjin, while underscoring that stable, predictable, and constructive ties between India and China will contribute significantly to regional and global peace and prosperity.

April 1, 2025 marked the 75th anniversary of the start of their diplomatic ties. On the day, Indian and Chinese presidents exchanged congratulatory messages with the latter suggesting that both the countries should work more closely together. The relationship should take the form of a “Dragon-Elephant tango”, he noted.