Chinese President Xi Jinping delivered a warm message to India on its Republic Day, stating that Beijing and New Delhi are 'good neighbours, friends and partners,' marking a significant diplomatic gesture amid gradually warming bilateral relations.
The message represents a notable shift in tone from recent years when border tensions dominated the relationship. Xi's Republic Day greeting signals Chinese interest in stabilizing relations with India despite ongoing strategic competition in the Indo-Pacific region.
India celebrated its 77th Republic Day on January 26, 2026, commemorating the adoption of its constitution. The occasion typically draws messages from world leaders, but Xi's specific language emphasizing friendship and partnership carries particular diplomatic significance given recent bilateral history.
Relations between the world's two most populous nations have experienced significant strain following deadly border clashes in 2020. The Galwan Valley confrontation resulted in casualties on both sides and triggered the worst bilateral crisis in decades, leading to military deployments along disputed borders and economic tensions.
Recent months have witnessed gradual diplomatic thawing through multiple channels. Military commanders held several rounds of talks aimed at disengagement along the disputed border. Trade relations, though complicated by Indian restrictions on Chinese investments in sensitive sectors, continue growing with China remaining among India's largest trading partners.
Analysts view Xi's message as part of broader Chinese diplomatic outreach across Asia, seeking to manage relationships with neighboring powers while navigating complex geopolitical dynamics. For India, maintaining functional relations with China remains essential despite strategic concerns about Chinese influence in South Asia and the broader Indo-Pacific.
The warming rhetoric comes as both nations navigate relationships with the United States and other powers, suggesting pragmatic recognition that managing the bilateral relationship serves mutual interests despite underlying strategic competition.