BRICS summit: PM Modi to hold bilateral with China’s Xi on Wednesday after thaw in border dispute

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is slated to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday on the sidelines of the BRICS summit in Russia. 

“I can confirm that there will be a bilateral meeting held between Prime Minister Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping tomorrow on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit,” foreign secretary Vikram Misri was quoted by ANI.

Since the Line of Actual Control (LAC) agreement, it is the first Modi-Xi bilateral meeting. 

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The bilateral is also seen as a breakthrough in ending the four-year-long military standoff between both the nations. 

Misri on Monday said that as a result of the discussions that have taken place over the last several weeks, an agreement has been arrived at on patrolling arrangements along the LAC in the India-China border area. "This is leading to the disengagement and eventually a resolution of the issues that had arisen in these areas in 2020," he added. 

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"Over a recent period, China and India have been in close communication through diplomatic and military channels on issues related to the China-India border. Now, the two sides have reached a resolution on the relevant matters," Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said. 

After the Galwan Valley clash in June 2020, the India-China ties worsened. 

Meanwhile, Modi met with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian during the BRICS summit in Kazan, Russia. This is Modi's first meeting with Pezeshkian, who became the president in July after winning the snap elections. 

According to Misri, both leaders discussed the situation in West Asia. "PM Modi expressed his deep concern over the escalating conflict and reiterated India's call for the protection of civilians and prevention of harm to civilians." 

Regarding the meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Misri said PM Modi reiterated that dialogue and diplomacy was the way forward to achieve resolution of the conflict. 

"PM Modi reiterated that dialogue and diplomacy was the way forward to achieve resolution of the conflict. He briefed President Putin about his engagements with the Ukrainian leadership and noted that India stood ready to contribute to bringing peace to the region," he said. 

India and Russia also expressed satisfaction with the ongoing defence cooperation and agreed to hold the next meeting of the India-Russia Intergovernmental Cooperation Group on defence cooperation in Moscow.

The BRICS summit is seen as an attempt by the non-Western powers to project their clout amid the conflict in Ukraine and the escalating situation in West Asia.