Chinese Official Media Hails Putin as Catalyst for Stronger India-China Ties
Beijing Views Russia-India-China Trilateral as Key to Global South Stability; Endorses Modi and Xi’s ‘Wisdom’ to Resolve Border Issues
Beijing Endorses Russia’s Pivotal Role in Trilateral Relations
Official Chinese state media, including the mouthpiece Global Times and state news agency Xinhua, provided a positive analysis of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s recent state visit to India, emphasizing Moscow’s potential role in strengthening the India-China relationship. The coverage highlights a subtle but strategic shift in Beijing’s public rhetoric, framing the three nations—India, Russia, and China—as crucial emerging economies and important members of the Global South.
A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson confirmed this view, stating that maintaining sound relations among the three countries “is not only in line with their own interests but also conducive to regional and global peace, security, stability, and prosperity.” This analysis, which came days after the 23rd India–Russia Annual Summit, underscores China’s interest in the Russia-India-China (RIC) trilateral mechanism as a counterbalance to the Western-centric global order. The official media’s focus suggests a deliberate attempt by Beijing to leverage Moscow’s strong ties with New Delhi to de-escalate bilateral tensions.
Putin’s Diplomatic Balancing Act Praised
Chinese media specifically focused on Putin’s remarks in an interview ahead of his visit, where he called both New Delhi and Beijing “closest friends” of Russia but stressed that Moscow has “no right to interfere” in their bilateral affairs. This neutral stance was implicitly praised by the Chinese media, which quoted Putin’s expression of confidence that the leaders of India and China possess the “wisdom” necessary to find solutions to their differences, including sensitive border issues.
This diplomatic messaging serves a dual purpose for China: it accepts Russia’s historically close and necessary strategic partnership with India, while reinforcing the notion that dialogue between Modi and Xi remains the only viable path to reconciliation. By endorsing Putin’s neutrality, Beijing subtly attempts to associate Russia’s high-profile engagement with India with its own goal of promoting trilateral cooperation within multilateral forums like BRICS and the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO).
Focus on Global South and Economic Alignment
The analysis within Chinese state media strategically linked the strong India-Russia partnership to the broader concept of the Global South, emphasizing that collective strength among these nations is essential for promoting a multipolar world order. The economic roadmap signed during the recent summit—the “Programme 2030”—is viewed in Beijing as a significant step in insulating non-Western economies from U.S. pressure and sanctions.
While the India-China border dispute remains largely unresolved, the positive coverage surrounding Putin’s visit suggests that Beijing is prioritizing the larger geopolitical gains of trilateral alignment and strengthening cooperation in platforms where all three countries are key players. This perspective casts Russia as a diplomatic anchor, capable of ensuring that the border tensions do not completely derail the greater strategic potential of the trilateral economic and political partnership.