KAZAN, Oct 24: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday held a significant bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit, focusing on advancing relations from a strategic and long-term perspective. The two leaders discussed enhancing strategic communication and exploring collaborative efforts to tackle developmental challenges.
PM Modi welcomed the recent agreement on the “complete disengagement and resolution” of the 2020 border conflict issues, highlighting the importance of effectively managing disputes to maintain peace and stability along the India-China border.
According to a release from the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), both leaders agreed that their respective Special Representatives on the boundary issue would meet soon to ensure peace in the border regions and seek a fair, mutually acceptable resolution to the ongoing boundary dispute.
The talks also involved strengthening dialogue mechanisms at the level of Foreign Ministers and officials to rebuild and stabilize bilateral relations. Modi and Xi emphasized that stable, predictable, and friendly relations between the two countries would have a positive impact on regional and global peace and prosperity, contributing to a multipolar Asia and world.
Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, in a media briefing, noted the importance of preventing boundary differences from disrupting peace at the border. He also mentioned that this was the first major bilateral meeting at the delegation level in nearly five years, since the 2019 BRICS Summit in Brasilia. Both leaders appreciated the recent agreements achieved through sustained diplomatic and military dialogues, with PM Modi stressing the critical role of Special Representatives in resolving boundary issues and ensuring peace.
Misri further stated that the two leaders reviewed bilateral relations with a strategic, long-term vision, and emphasized the need for mutual respect for each other’s interests and concerns as key to fostering positive relations. As further talks are planned to enhance strategic communication, restoring peace in the border areas was highlighted as crucial for normalizing ties.
The discussion also covered BRICS cooperation, with India pledging its support for China’s upcoming presidency of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO). The PMO expressed optimism that recent agreements would help de-escalate tensions along the Line of Actual Control (LAC). Misri added that confidence-building measures would continue to evolve as both countries engage in diplomatic discussions across various formats.
In response to questions regarding specific border areas, Misri clarified that the agreements pertain to unresolved issues along the LAC since the 2020 conflict. He also mentioned that future discussions would include the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra as part of ongoing efforts to improve bilateral relations.
