Amid the Sikkim standoff, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval will call on Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday along with fellow top security officials of the BRICS countries. Officials here confirmed that Doval who will be taking part in the Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa (BRICS) NSAs meeting in Beijing will be meeting President Xi.
The group of NSAs would call on the Chinese President for an interaction on security issues relating to BRICS countries. China currently holds the Presidency of the BRICS and is due to hold 2017 summit of the five-member group in September at Xiamen city.
Ahead of his meeting with Xi, Doval is expected to hold separate talks with China's State Councilor Yang Jiechi to discuss resolution of the standoff at Doklam in Sikkim sector. Both Doval and Yang are Special Representatives of the India-China border mechanism.
China has said that no meaningful dialogue can be held with India until it "unconditionally" withdraws troops from the disputed Doklam area. However, it has acknowledged that talks through diplomatic channels are taking place and hinted at a meeting between Doval and Yang.
Chinese and Indian troops have been locked in a face-off in the trijunction area for more than a month since Indian troops stopped the Chinese army from building a road in the area. China claimed it was constructing the road within its territory. India protested the construction, fearing it would allow China to cut India's access to its northeastern states.
Though the BRICS NSAs meeting is scheduled for two days, it was open for the media only on July 28, the last day when the top security officials of the five countries will formally meeting to discuss on global governance, counter-terrorism, cyber security and energy security, international and regional hotspots, and national security and development.
Besides Doval and Yang, Minister of State Security David Mahlobo of South Africa, Minister Sergio Etchegoyen of the Office of Institutional Security of the Presidency of Brazil, Security Council Secretary Nikolai Patrushev of the Russian Federation would also attend the NSAs meeting.
China hopes that this meeting will help safeguard the common interests of the BRICS countries, move forward political and security cooperation and strengthen the solidarity and influence of the group, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang had said on Monday.
