The Congress on Monday launched a sharp attack on the Centre following Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Tianjin, alleging that the Prime Minister had engaged in “cowardly kowtowing” to Beijing.
In a post on X, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh criticized Modi’s remarks during the talks, where he described India and China as “victims of terrorism.” Ramesh wrote, “For years, India has accused China of double standards on terrorism. Now, Prime Minister Modi says India and China are both victims of terrorism. If this is not the so-called elephant capitulating before the so-called dragon, then what is it?”
The Congress leader also accused Modi of remaining “completely silent” on China’s reported coordination with Pakistan during Operation Sindoor, a development earlier flagged by the Indian Army. “Even more anti-national is the fact that the Prime Minister did not mention China’s partnership with Pakistan during Operation Sindoor — something revealed by top Indian Army officials themselves,” Ramesh alleged.
He further claimed that Modi had given China a “clean chit” for the second time, recalling his statement after the Galwan Valley clashes in June 2020. “The self-proclaimed 56-inch chest has been thoroughly exposed. June 19, 2020, and now August 31, 2025, will both go down as days of infamy for his cowardly kowtowing in Tianjin,” he added.
The criticism comes amid Modi’s first visit to China since the 2020 border clashes, as he attended the 25th Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit. Earlier, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri stated that Modi had clearly conveyed to Xi Jinping that peace and tranquility along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) is essential for normal bilateral relations.
“From the beginning, we have maintained that the boundary situation impacts bilateral ties. The most important insurance policy for these ties is maintaining peace at the border,” Misri told reporters.
During the wide-ranging talks, Modi and Xi reportedly discussed steps to rebuild relations strained by the four-year-long standoff in eastern Ladakh.
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