BRICS Summit: Modi, Xi Meet In First Bilateral In Five Years, Stress On Maintaining 'Stable', 'Amicable' Ties Amid LAC Disengagement Deal

In a significant development, Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the 16th BRICS Summit at Kazan on Wednesday (23 October).

This marked the first bilateral meeting between the two leaders in around five years.

In a post on X, PM Modi said that India-China relations are important for the people of both the countries, and for regional and global peace and stability.

He emphasised that the bilateral relations between the two countries will be guided by "mutual trust, mutual respect and mutual sensitivity".

This meeting comes days after India and China agreed to a LAC disengagement agreement after four and a half years of military standoff between the two countries.

The two sides have reached an agreement on patrolling arrangements along LAC in the border areas, leading to disengagement and resolution of the issues that arose in these areas in 2020 after the Galwan clash.

According to a statement by the Ministry of External Affairs, PM Modi welcomed the agreement for complete disengagement and resolution of issues that arose in 2020 in the India-China border areas.

He also underscored the "importance of properly handling differences and disputes and not allowing them to disturb peace and tranquility", the MEA said.

Besides, the two leaders also agreed that the Special Representatives on the India-China boundary question will meet at an early date to oversee the management of peace and tranquility in border areas and to explore a "fair, reasonable and mutually acceptable solution to the boundary question", according to the MEA.

The relevant dialogue mechanisms at the level of Foreign Ministers and other officials will also be utilised to stabilize and rebuild bilateral relations, it said.

"The two leaders affirmed that stable, predictable, and amicable bilateral relations between India and China, as two neighbors and the two largest nations on earth, will have a positive impact on regional and global peace and prosperity," the MEA said.

It will also contribute to a multi-polar Asia and a multi-polar world, the statement added.

The ministry said that PM Modi and President Jinping underlined the need to "progress bilateral relations from a strategic and long-term perspective, enhance strategic communication and explore cooperation to address developmental challenges".

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