China weighs in on Putin’s India visit

Beijing has said its good ties with both Moscow and New Delhi contribute to security, stability, and prosperity globally

China said on Monday that good relations between Beijing, Moscow, and New Delhi are beneficial for global stability and prosperity.

Responding to a query about Russian President Vladimir Putin’s statement on ties between the BRICS countries, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said that the three countries are emerging economies and key members of the Global South, making their engagement crucial for the world.

“The three countries maintaining sound relations is not only in line with their own interests but also conducive to regional and global peace, security, stability, and prosperity,” the spokesperson said. “China stands ready to work with Russia and India to continue advancing the bilateral relations.”

Commenting on ties with India amid a rapprochement following nearly five years of tensions, Jiakun said Beijing “stands ready to work with India to view and handle the bilateral relationship from a strategic height and long-term perspective.” Relations between New Delhi and Beijing, which were strained following a deadly border clash in 2020, have been gradually improving since last year.

In his interview with TV channel India Today ahead of his trip to New Delhi, Putin said that China and India were Russia’s close friends and that Moscow places great value on its relations with both countries.

Putin also remarked that Moscow wants to take cooperation with both countries “to a whole new level, including through enhancing its technological aspect.”

Beijing and New Delhi have refused to take part in Western sanctions over the Ukraine conflict and have instead boosted trade with Russia. The Russian leader praised what he called their “rational and pragmatic” approach.

Russia and China nearly doubled bilateral trade from 2020 to 2024, surpassing $240 billion last year, while trade between Moscow and New Delhi also increased more than six-fold in the past two years, exceeding $65 billion in 2024. During Putin’s visit to New Delhi, the two nations renewed their commitment to a target of $100 billion in bilateral trade by 2030. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has stated the goal could be achieved before that date.

Earlier this year, Putin, Modi, and Chinese President Xi Jinping held talks at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in Tianjin. The leaders of the SCO, Eurasia’s largest security bloc, have backed Xi Jinping’s new global governance initiative, which stresses the need to uphold international law, defend multilateralism, reject double standards, and ensure equal participation by all countries, regardless of size or power.