Published: February 11, 2026 5:27 pm
Author: RT
The Asian neighbors are also looking at updating their air services agreement amid warming ties
China “respects and understands” India’s aspiration for permanent membership in the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), a top Indian official has said.
Beijing’s position was expressed by Vice Foreign Minister Ma Zhaoxu, according to an official statement by the Indian Foreign Ministry.
“The Chinese side expressed its support for a successful BRICS Summit in India,” the ministry said in the statement. “[Vice Minister Ma] also conveyed that China understands and respects India’s aspirations for UNSC membership.”
Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri held the India-China Strategic Dialogue with Ma, who was in India to participate in the BRICS Sherpa Meeting.
On February 10, 2026, H.E. Ma Zhaoxu, Executive Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs of China held a new round of China-India Strategic Dialogue with H.E. Vikram Misri, Foreign Secretary of India in New Delhi. Both sides had friendly, candid and in-depth communication on the… pic.twitter.com/Jthsjmhrnx
— Xu Feihong (@China_Amb_India) February 10, 2026
Chinese Ambassador to India Xu Feihong said in a post after the meeting that the countries should deepen mutual trust and expand cooperation, properly manage differences, and promote the development of ties.
The sides exchanged “a friendly, candid, and in-depth communication on international and regional issues of shared interest, and bilateral ties,” the Chinese Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
The Indian statement also said the two countries recognized the need for an early conclusion of an updated Air Services Agreement. Direct flights between China and India officially resumed in October 2025 after five years.
Both sides also agreed to support each other’s work as the BRICS Chair for 2026 and 2027. India took over the BRICS presidency this year.
A thaw in diplomatic ties between the two nations began after a meeting between Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping in October 2024, on the sidelines of the BRICS summit in Kazan, Russia.
The leaders met again at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit in Tianjin in September 2025, where they agreed to enhance cooperation.
India is planning to lift restrictions on Chinese companies bidding for government contracts, introduced after a 2020 border clash, Reuters reported in January.
In December, China launched an online application system to speed up the visa process for Indian travelers. New Delhi also dropped a layer of bureaucratic scrutiny and shortened visa approval times to less than a month to fast-track business visas for Chinese professionals.
