In a meeting that marked an apparent thaw in strained relations between India and China since 2020, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday (October 23) endorsed the India-China agreement on patrolling and disengagementalong the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh and issued direction to revive various bilateral dialogue mechanisms.
In the nearly 50-minute meeting held on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit in Russia’s Kazan, Modi underscored the importance of properly handling differences and disputes and not allowing them to disturb peace and tranquility in border areas and that mutual trust, mutual respect and mutual sensitivity should remain the basis of the relations.
Revival of Special Representatives dialogue
In their first structured talks in nearly five years, Modi and Xi also instructed the revival of the stalled Special Representatives’ dialogue mechanism on the boundary question at an early date, holding that it can play a critical role in the maintenance of peace and tranquillity along the frontier.
“The two leaders noted that the special representatives on the India-China boundary question have a critical role to play in the resolution of the boundary question and for the maintenance of peace and tranquillity in the border areas,” India’s foreign secretary Vikram Misri said at a media briefing.
“Accordingly, they (Modi and Xi) instructed the special representatives to meet at an early date and to continue their efforts in this regard,” Misri said.
India’s Special Representative for the dialogue is NSA Ajit Doval while the Chinese side is headed at the talks by Foreign Minister Wang Yi. Both sides haven’t had a round of talks in the Special Representatives format since December 2019.
The two leaders also underlined the need to progress bilateral relations from a strategic and long-term perspective, enhance strategic communication and explore cooperation to address developmental challenges, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said.
On Monday, India and China firmed up an agreement on patrolling and disengagement of troops along the LAC in eastern Ladakh, in a major breakthrough to end the over four-year standoff.
India, China welcome disengagement deal in Ladakh
Misri said both Modi and Xi stressed that India and China can have a “peaceful, stable and beneficial bilateral relationship” with maturity and wisdom, and by showing mutual respect for each other’s sensitivities, interests, concerns and aspirations.
Referring to New Delhi’s consistent position on the eastern Ladakh row, Misri said restoration of peace and tranquillity in the border areas will create space for returning towards the path of normalisation of bilateral relations between the two sides.
“This meeting happened, as you are all aware, close on the heels of the disengagement and patrolling agreement and the resolution of issues that had arisen in the India-China border areas in 2020,” he said.
“Naturally, the two leaders welcomed the agreement reached between the two sides through sustained dialogue over the last several weeks in diplomatic as well as military channels,” he added.
Thrust on stable bilateral ties
The two leaders also reviewed the state of bilateral relations from a strategic and long-term perspective, Misri said.
“They were of the view that stable bilateral relations between India and China, the two largest nations on earth, will have a positive impact on regional and global peace and prosperity,” he said.
The ties between the two Asian giants nosedived significantly following the fierce clash in the Galwan Valley in June 2020 that marked the most serious military conflict between the two sides in decades.
Jinping agrees ‘in principle’ to Modi’s suggestions
On his part, Xi agreed “in principle” to the suggestions made by Prime Minister Modi.
Xi said China-India relations are essentially a question of how the two large developing countries and neighbours, each with a 1.4-billion-strong population, treat each other.
Xi said China and India should maintain a sound strategic perception of each other and work together to find the “right and bright path” for big, neighbouring countries to live in harmony and develop side by side.
The two leaders commended the important progress the two sides recently made through intensive communication on resolving the issues in the border areas.
“Modi made suggestions on improving and developing the relationship, which Xi agreed to in principle,” Xinhua news agency reported without elaborating.
Development is now the biggest shared goal of China and India, Xi said, adding the two sides should continue to uphold their important understandings, including that China and India are each other’s development opportunity rather than threat, and cooperation partners rather than competitors.
This was their first meeting in five years.
Resolve to prevent disagreements
The Chinese news agency claimed that both leaders agreed to prevent specific disagreements from affecting the overall relationship. The two leaders were of the view that their meeting was constructive and carried great significance.
They agreed to view and handle China-India relations from a strategic height, and long-term perspective, and contribute to maintaining regional and global peace and prosperity and to advancing multiplicity in the world, the news agency said.
Xi said China and India should facilitate each other’s pursuit of development aspirations.
Xi said that as time-honoured civilisations, large developing countries and important members of the Global South, “China and India both stand at a crucial phase of our respective modernisation endeavours.”
“The best way to advance the fundamental interests of the two countries and two peoples is for both to keep to the trend of history and the right direction of bilateral relations,” he said.
He said the two countries should shoulder their international responsibility, set an example in boosting the strength and unity of developing countries and contribute to promoting a multipolar world and greater democracy in international relations, the CGTN report said.
‘Depsang, Demchok part of India-China agreement’
Replying to a question on whether the patrolling and disengagement agreement will cover issues at Depsang and Demchok, Misri indicated that both friction points are part of the pact.
“The statements that I have made over the last 48 to 72 hours, I think the answer should be quite clear,” he said.
Modi holds bilateral talks with Uzbek, UAE presidents
Modi also held talks with leaders of Uzbekistan, the UAE and Egypt on the sidelines of the BRICS and discussed ways to advance cooperation with their countries in a host of sectors.
Modi, who arrived in Russia’s heritage city of Kazan on Tuesday for the 16th BRICS Summit, said he had a “wonderful meeting” with Uzbekistan President Shavkat Mirziyoyev during which they “discussed ways to boost bilateral cooperation between India and Uzbekistan, including trade and cultural linkages”.
“PM @narendramodi held wide-ranging talks with President Shavkat Mirziyoyev of Uzbekistan on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit in Kazan. They deliberated on ways to advance cooperation between both our countries in a host of sectors,” the prime minister’s office said in a post on X.
The prime minister also shared some photographs of his meeting with Mirziyoyev.
Modi and Mirziyoyev reviewed progress in India-Uzbekistan bilateral cooperation, including in trade, economic, health, connectivity, capacity building and digital technologies, MEA said on X.
The two leaders agreed to work together in regional and global fora “for strengthening the voice of the global south”, it said.
“Special attention was paid to the implementation of programs and projects in the sphere of high technologies, AI, industry, energy, pharmaceuticals and transport communications. It was agreed to adopt a medium-term Program of industrial cooperation,” the press-service of the Uzbek President said in a post on X.
Talks on West Asia
Prime Minister Modi also met Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of UAE.
“Glad to have met my brother, His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of UAE,” he posted on X.
Prime Minister Modi and Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed exchanged views on various global issues, his office said.
“Both leaders reviewed and positively assessed the UAE-India Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. They exchanged views on the situation in West Asia and agreed to continue efforts for early restoration of peace, security and stability,” MEA said.
Modi also interacted with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi in Kazan.
BRICS, consisting of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, has now expanded with five additional members – Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE.
(With inputs from agencies)
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