Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping met on Saturday during the BRICS summit in New Delhi, signaling a renewed attempt to mend relations between the two nations, which have been strained by a deadly border clash six years ago. This meeting is part of ongoing efforts to ease tensions and foster cooperation between two of the world's most populous and economically significant countries. Xi emphasized that China approaches its relationship with India from a "strategic and long-term perspective," highlighting the importance of mutual support, shared development, and high-quality cooperation. He also stressed that as key members of the Global South, both nations should work together to promote a more balanced and peaceful world order. According to China's state news agency Xinhua, institutional exchanges between the two countries have slowly resumed, and bilateral trade has grown. Xi reiterated that India and China are partners, not rivals, and that both nations have opportunities to support each other's development. Modi expressed appreciation for China's role in hosting the upcoming BRICS summit, which will be held in China next year. BRICS, which stands for Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, is an international forum that brings together emerging economies. Modi emphasized the importance of maintaining peace along the disputed border, calling for both sides to honor existing agreements and work toward a fair and mutually acceptable resolution of their boundary dispute. The leaders also discussed ways to expand people-to-people and business ties while addressing trade imbalances, supply chain issues, and concerns about market access. This meeting marks Xi's first visit to India since 2019 and continues a cautious effort to ease tensions between the two nations, which were severely damaged by a 2020 border clash in Ladakh. The clash, which resulted in the deaths of at least 20 Indian soldiers and four Chinese service members, led to a prolonged standoff in the region, with both sides maintaining large military presences. While steps have been taken to reduce tensions, deep mistrust and unresolved disputes remain. India and China continue to have disagreements over parts of their shared border, and economic factors such as India's large trade deficit with China, restrictions on Chinese investments, and strategic competition in Asia have further complicated their relationship. India has been expanding its military infrastructure along the disputed frontier, while China has been developing roads and defensive positions on its side of the border. Xi's visit is seen as a test of whether the recent diplomatic thaw can lead to a more stable relationship. Since their 1962 war, both nations have grown economically, but China has significantly outpaced India, maintaining a large trade surplus. This growing economic rivalry, combined with territorial and strategic differences, continues to shape the complex dynamics between the two nuclear-armed powers.