New Delhi: The Congress on Sunday sharpened its attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi after his bilateral meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Tianjin, accusing him of going soft on Beijing despite its continued aggression against India.
The opposition’s criticism followed visuals of Modi and Xi exchanging a warm handshake on the sidelines of the summit. In a sarcastic post on X, the Congress said: “China killed 20 of our soldiers in Galwan. During Operation Sindoor, Beijing openly sided with Pakistan and provided live updates. And what was Modi’s strong response? A smiling handshake with Xi.”
• चीन ने गलवान घाटी में हमारे 20 जांबाज सैनिकों की जान ले ली
• ऑपरेशन सिंदूर के वक्त चीन खुलकर पाकिस्तान का साथ दे रहा था
• चीन ने पाकिस्तान को लाइव अपडेट दिएचीन की इन नापाक हरकतों पर नरेंद्र मोदी ने सख्त कदम उठाया. मुस्कराते हुए चीन के राष्ट्रपति से हाथ मिलाया. pic.twitter.com/fDquMqXwTi
— Congress (@INCIndia) August 31, 2025
Rahul Gandhi has consistently accused the prime minister of being “afraid of China” and ignoring its incursions. He has also raised questions over the alleged loss of 2,000 sq km of Indian territory, calling it the biggest setback since the 1962 war. The Congress maintains that Modi’s outreach to Beijing reflects “cowardice and misplaced economic priorities.”
During the talks, Modi underlined India’s commitment to improving relations with China, while Xi described New Delhi as a “vital friend,” urging both nations to adopt a “strategic, long-term perspective.”
The meeting marked Modi’s first visit to China in seven years and came against the backdrop of heightened global churn. Russian President Vladimir Putin, along with leaders from Central, South and Southeast Asia and the Middle East, also attended the summit. The dialogue came just days after Washington imposed a 50% tariff on Indian goods over New Delhi’s continued oil imports from Moscow.
