Days After Border Breakthrough, PM Modi To Hold Bilateral Talks With Chinese President Xi Jinping

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hold a bilateral meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit, just two days after India and China reached an agreement on patrolling arrangements in eastern Ladakh. This will mark the first bilateral meeting between the two leaders in five years. Their last encounter was during an informal summit in Mahabalipuram in October 2019, just months before Chinese incursions in eastern Ladakh led to a military standoff along the Line of Actual Control (LAC).

"I can confirm that there will be a bilateral meeting between Prime Minister Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping tomorrow on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit," Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said, ANI reported.

The Foreign Secretary held a special media briefing in New Delhi on Monday ahead of PM Modi's visit to Russia for the BRICS Summit, stating that India and China have reached an agreement on patrolling arrangements along the Line of Actual Control (LAC).

He also mentioned that following discussions with Chinese interlocutors, an agreement has been reached regarding patrolling arrangements along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the India-China border areas.

Misri further said that 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.

"We have been in discussion with Chinese interlocuters through WMCC as was mentioned earlier and at the military level as well through meetings of the military commanders at various levels. These discussions have in the past resulted in the resolution of standoffs at various locations. You are also aware that there were a few locations where the standoff had not been resolved," he said.

"Now as a result of the discussions that have taken place over the last several weeks an agreement has been arrived at on patroling arrangements along the line of actual control in the India-China border areas and this is leading to dis-engagement and eventually a resolution of the issues that had arisen in these areas in 2020," he added. (With ANI Inputs)