A day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi engaged in high-level talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping, the principal opposition came out swinging. The Congress on Sunday accused the Prime Minister of presiding over what it termed a “calibrated capitulation” to Beijing, demanding clear answers on border disengagements, lingering territorial disputes, and ballooning economic dependence.

Key Facts of the Opposition Challenge

  • Congress posed four direct questions to PM Modi following his bilateral exchange with Xi Jinping at the BRICS summit.
  • General Secretary Jairam Ramesh cited ongoing concerns regarding patrolling rights in Eastern Ladakh and fresh friction points in Arunachal Pradesh.
  • Scrutiny was drawn to India's bilateral trade deficit with China, which touched a historic $112.6 billion in fiscal year 2025–26.
  • The central government and the BJP offered no immediate comment in response to the allegations.

The Four Questions on Border Security and Strategy

Leading the party's charge in a public statement on X, Congress general secretary in-charge of communications Jairam Ramesh pointed back to the fatal clashes of June 15–16, 2020, in which 20 Indian soldiers died in Galwan Valley. Ramesh asked whether the Prime Minister's remarks at an all-party meeting four days later had permanently undercut India's diplomatic and tactical posture.

“Just four days later, on June 19, 2020, you inexplicably told an all-party meeting 'Na koi humari seema mein ghus aaya hai, na hi koi ghusa hua hai.' That statement has never been retracted. Has this not greatly weakened our subsequent negotiating position?”

The opposition further alleged that long-standing grazing and patrolling access in Eastern Ladakh had been quietly given up, while Beijing has hardened its posture regarding Arunachal Pradesh. Ramesh warned of continued infrastructure build-up across the frontier, pointing specifically to China's 60,000-MW Medog mega-dam along the Great Bend of the Brahmaputra River.

Shifting Stances and a Ballooning Deficit

The Congress also questioned what it characterized as conflicting official messaging on regional security. Ramesh recalled that on July 4, 2025, Deputy Chief of Army Staff Lt. General Rahul Singh publicly outlined China's pivotal role in assisting Pakistan during Operation Sindoor. Yet, by August 25, 2026, former Chief of Defence Staff Gen. Anil Chauhan struck a markedly different tone during an address at the Vivekananda International Foundation. Ramesh questioned whether that shift was designed merely to manage optics before the bilateral exchange.

Turning to trade, the opposition pointed out that India's trade deficit with China reached $112.6 billion in 2025–26. Ramesh argued that vital supply-chain vulnerabilities in manufacturing intermediates have turned national programs on their head, alleging that “'Make in India' and 'Import from China' have become two sides of the same coin.”

Official Diplomatic Outreach

According to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), PM Modi reiterated to President Xi that mutual boundary peace remains an “essential” foundation for broader relations. Both leaders welcomed progress in stabilising contact, agreeing that differences must not devolve into disputes. The MEA noted discussions also spanned structural trade deficits, supply chains, and boundary negotiations aimed at a fair, long-term resolution.