New Delhi: The Congress on Sunday targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his bilateral meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, accusing him of failing to stand firm against Beijing despite its hostile actions towards India.

The criticism came after Modi and Xi held talks on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Tianjing, where the two leaders exchanged a warm handshake.

“China took the lives of our 20 brave soldiers in the Galwan Valley. During Operation Sindoor, China was openly supporting Pakistan and providing live updates. In response, Narendra Modi took strict measures. He shook hands with the Chinese President with a smile,” the Congress posted in Hindi on X, lacing the remark with sarcasm.

Led by Rahul Gandhi, the opposition has repeatedly accused the prime minister of being “scared of China” and ignoring its incursions.

Gandhi has often raised questions about the alleged capture of 2,000 sq km of Indian territory by China and the government’s silence on the issue.

Congress has called it the biggest setback since the 1962 border war and claimed that the Modi government was pursuing “normalisation” with Beijing out of “cowardice and misplaced economic priorities.”

During the meeting, Modi said India remained committed to improving ties with China, while Xi described India as a “vital friend” and urged the two nations to adopt a “strategic” and “long-term perspective.”

This was Modi’s first visit to China in seven years, attended also by Russian President Vladimir Putin and leaders from Central, South and Southeast Asia as well as the Middle East.

The talks took place days after Washington imposed a 50 percent tariff on Indian goods in response to New Delhi’s continued purchase of Russian oil.