PM Modi, Xi Jinping set to meet at BRICS summit, likely to discuss India-China border standoff India TV

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to attend the much-awaited BRICS summit in Kazan, Russia, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed on Friday. Although the ministry mentioned Prime Minister Modi's planned bilateral meetings with leaders of BRICS member countries, all eyes are on whether he will hold separate meetings with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

“During his visit, the Prime Minister is also expected to hold bilateral meetings with his counterparts from BRICS member countries and invited leaders in Kazan, Russia,” according to the statement issued by the MEA on Friday.

PM Modi-Xi Jinping held brief interactions

If a meeting between Prime Minister Modi and President Xi Jinping takes place, it would be the first time the two leaders would meet in person. However, both had the opportunity to interact briefly on at least two occasions: first on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Bali, Indonesia in November 2022, and then at the BRICS summit in Johannesburg, South Africa in August. 2023.

During these brief interactions, both sides agreed to intensify efforts to resolve the military standoff along the LAC. Notably, the Indian Army and the People's Liberation Army or the Chinese army had a deadly scuffle on the Ladakh border in June 2020. The clash resulted in the loss of at least 20 Indian soldiers, but Beijing did not did not declare their exact number.

India-China border talks

It is expected that Prime Minister Modi and Chinese leaders will hold bilateral talks, which will help broker peace along the border regions. Despite lengthy negotiations resulting in the mutual withdrawal of troops from some clash sites along the LAC, such as the Galwan Valley, the northern areas and on the southern banks of Pangong Tso, Gogra Post and Hot Springs, the impasse is still not resolved.

It is worth mentioning that India is advocating for peace and tranquility along the border regions by holding military commander-level talks and national security advisor-level meetings. On the Indian side, NSA Ajit Doval has met Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi several times. Besides, EAM S Jaishankar also held bilateral meetings with Yi.

Rapid return of peace to the India-China border region

Both sides agreed to a rapid return of peace to the border regions. Conversely, China claimed that the mutual withdrawal of PLA and Indian Army troops from Patrol Point 15 (Gogra-Hotsprings region) in September 2022 meant a return to normalcy along the LAC, in eastern Ladakh.

Earlier this month, Indian Army Chief Upendra Dwivedi said the situation with China was “stable.” However, he added that the situation is not “normal” and called it “sensitive.” “The situation is stable in LAC, but not normal and it is sensitive. We will stay there until things become normal,” the army chief said. . “As for China, it has intrigued us for some time. With China, we have to compete, cooperate, coexist, confront and argue… So, what is the situation today? It is stable , but this is not the case normal and it is sensitive,” he said during Chanakya’s defense dialogue.

Consensus reached on troop disengagement (China)

The army chief's statement comes days after Beijing claimed the difference between the two nuclear nations was “narrowing.” Further, he claimed to have established “some consensus” on disengagement of troops from friction points to end the standoff in eastern Ladakh. According to the Chinese Ministry of Defense, the two sides agreed to maintain dialogue to reach a solution acceptable to both sides as soon as possible.

Earlier on September 12, Jaishankar had also echoed almost the same statement. “Around 75 percent of the disengagement issues” with China are resolved,” he said. On the issue of lingering border conflicts in eastern Ladakh, Jaishankar stressed that the most important issue was militarization growing border.

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