Kazan [Russia], October 23 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping, who had a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of BRICS Summit, underlined the need to progress bilateral relations from a strategic and long-term perspective, enhance strategic communication and explore cooperation to address developmental challenges.
PM Modi welcomed the recent agreement "for complete disengagement and resolution of issues" that arose in 2020 in the India-China border areas and underscored the importance of properly handling differences and disputes and not allowing them to disturb peace and tranquility.
"The two leaders 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," a PMO release said.
The relevant dialogue mechanisms at the level of Foreign Ministers and other officials will also be utilized to stabilize and rebuild bilateral relations, it added.
The two leaders affirmed that stable, predictable, and amicable bilateral relations between India and China, as two neighbours and the two largest nations on earth, will have a positive impact on regional and global peace and prosperity.
"It will also contribute to a multi-polar Asia and a multi-polar world. The leaders 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 release said.
Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, who addressed a media briefing on PM Modi's visit to Russia for the BRICS meeting, said PM Modi underscored the importance of not allowing differences on boundary-related matters to disturb peace and tranquillity on borders.
He said the two leaders have given instructions for various official and other bilateral mechanisms between the two countries to be activated.
"PM Modi met with President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the 16th BRICS Summit. This was their first proper bilateral meeting at delegation level in nearly 5 years, the last one being on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit in Brasilia in 2019. This meeting happened 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.
"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. PM Modi underscored the importance of not allowing differences on boundary-related matters to disturb peace and tranquillity on our borders. 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," he added.
Misri said the two leaders also reviewed the state of bilateral relations from a strategic and long-term perspective.
"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. Both of them stressed that with maturity and wisdom, and by showing mutual respect for each other's sensitivities, interests, concerns and aspirations, the two countries can have a peaceful, stable and beneficial bilateral relationship," he said.
Misri said officials will now take the next steps to discuss enhancing strategic communication and stabilizing bilateral relations.
"The restoration of peace and tranquillity in the border areas will create space for returning us towards the path of normalization of our bilateral relations. Officials will now take the next steps to discuss enhancing strategic communication and stabilizing bilateral relations by utilizing the relevant official bilateral dialogue mechanisms, including at the level of our respective foreign ministers."
The Foreign Secretary said the leaders also had a very productive exchange on BRICS and the potential for India and China to enhance cooperation on this particular platform.
Prime Minister Modi also assured India's full support to China's SCO presidency next year.
Misri said PM Modi and President Xi Jinping welcomed the efforts that were made by Indian and Chinese negotiators and the results that were achieved.
"It is certainly our expectation that as a result of not only the agreement that was arrived at just a couple of days ago between Indian and Chinese diplomatic and military negotiators but also as a result of the endorsement of that agreement at the highest leader level, possible between the two countries as happened in the meeting today where both Prime Minister Modi and President Xi Jinping welcomed the efforts that were made by Indian and Chinese negotiators and the results that were achieved by that. I think these should certainly lead to an easing of the situation along the LAC. We have a number of confidence-building measures and these evolve continuously. As the two sides engage once again in multiple formats, this is certainly a subject that I think will be under discussion between the two sides," he said.
"Insofar as Depsang and Demchok is concerned, if you see the statements that I have made over the last 48 to 72 hours, I think the answer should be quite clear. I have made the point that the last time we had an agreement on the several issues that had arisen in the India-China border areas since 2020, the last agreement was in 2022 in September. Since then, we had been involved in trying to find a resolution of the pending issues in the balance areas along the Line of Actual Control, which pertain to these areas that you have mentioned. The agreement that has been arrived at essentially pertains to these areas," he added.
Answering a query on Kailash Mansarovar Yatra, the Foreign Secretary said it will on the agenda of future talks between the two countries.
"Insofar as confidence-building measures are concerned and whether Kailash Mansarovar Yatra will be included in that, as I said, today the leaders have given instructions for various official and other bilateral mechanisms between the two countries to be activated. I'm sure this will be one of the issues that will be on the agenda of those discussions between the leaders."
Misri, who addressed a special media briefing on Monday ahead of PM Modi's visit to Russia for the BRICS Summit, said India and China have reached an agreement on the patrolling arrangements along Line of Actual Control (LAC).
Misri said as a result of the discussions with the Chinese interlocutors an agreement has been arrived at on patrolling arrangements along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the India-China border areas.
He said this is leading to dis-engagement and eventually a resolution of the issues that arose after action by Chinese military in eastern Ladakh in 2020.