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Xi Jinping's Republic Day Message: Dragon-Elephant Dance for India-China Ties

Chinese President Xi Jinping extended Republic Day greetings to Indian President Droupadi Murmu, emphasizing a partnership where the "dragon and elephant dance together." This message follows ongoing normalization efforts, including the resumption of direct flights agreed upon by foreign ministers. Recent diplomatic engagements have reviewed bilateral momentum and discussed enhancing people-to-people exchanges. Chinese Communist Party delegations also recently held courtesy meetings with Indian political organizations like the RSS and BJP.

Key Points: Xi Jinping's Republic Day Message to India Stresses Partnership

  • Xi's Republic Day message to President Murmu
  • Focus on people-to-people ties and direct flights
  • Diplomatic talks review bilateral momentum
  • Recent CCP delegations meet Indian political figures
2 min read

"Dragon and Elephant should dance together," XI Jinping sends message of partnership to India on Republic Day

Chinese President Xi Jinping calls for India and China to be "good-neighborly friends," highlighting resumed flights and diplomatic exchanges.

"It should be the right choice... to have the dragon and the elephant dance together. - Chinese Ambassador Xu Feihong"

New Delhi, January 26

Chinese President Xi Jinping sent a congratulatory message to President Droupadi Murmu on the occasion of India's 77th Republic Day.

The Chinese Ambassador to India, Xu Feihong, in a post shared on X, said, "President Xi Jinping sent a congratulatory message to Indian President Droupadi Murmu on India's 77th Republic Day. It should be the right choice for China and India to be good-neighborly friends and partners that help each other succeed, and have the dragon and the elephant dance together."

The message from Xi Jinping follows the normalisation of relationship between the two neighbours after months of standoff. In October last year, China and India to resumed direct flights.

The commitment toward this was made during Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi's visit to India in August 2025. During his bilateral talks with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, both sides had agreed to resume direct flight connectivity between the Chinese mainland and India at the earliest and finalise an updated Air Services Agreement. They also agreed on facilitating visas for tourists, businesses, media, and other visitors in both directions.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping, in their bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the Summit of the leaders of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) on August 31, noted the need to strengthen people-to-people ties through direct flights and visa facilitation

Earlier this month, on January 14, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri met Sun Haiyan, Vice Minister of the International Department of the Communist Party of China, to review the positive momentum in bilateral relations. Sharing details of the meeting on X, the Ministry of External Affairs said both sides discussed ways to further advance ties through enhanced people-to-people exchanges and by addressing concerns on sensitive issues.

On January 13, leaders of the Chinese Communist Party met Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh Sarkaryavah Dattatreya Hosabale at the RSS headquarters. The meeting lasted for around half an hour. Sources said it was a courtesy call initiated at the request of the CCP delegation and that no formal agenda was discussed.

The CCP delegation also visited the Bharatiya Janata Party headquarters, where they met BJP General Secretary Arun Singh and the party's Foreign Affairs Department Convener Vijay Chauthaiwale. Sources described the interaction as part of a routine exchange and clarified that both meetings should not be viewed as formal or policy-level engagements.

- ANI

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Reader Comments

P
Priya S
Direct flights resuming is fantastic news! My sister lives in Shanghai for work and it's been so difficult for her to visit. Hoping the visa process becomes smoother too. A stable relationship with our neighbour is crucial for trade and families like mine. 🙏
R
Rohit P
The meetings with RSS and BJP are interesting, even if they say it's just routine. Engagement at multiple levels is better than silence. But let's be clear-eyed—friendship can't be one-sided. Our national security and territorial integrity are non-negotiable.
S
Sarah B
As an expat here, I see this as positive diplomacy. The world needs stable India-China relations. Economic cooperation benefits everyone. Hoping the "positive momentum" leads to tangible outcomes for businesses and reduces global tensions.
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Vikram M
Republic Day greetings are customary, and we should acknowledge them. However, the real test is resolving the standoff completely and ensuring peace along the LAC. The elephant remembers, but it also chooses when to dance. Jai Hind.
K
Kavya N
More cultural and student exchanges would be wonderful! Understanding each other's history and society can build genuine friendship. But this must go hand-in-hand with addressing the "sensitive issues" the MEA mentioned. A balanced approach is key.

We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.

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