BRICS Summit 2023: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday held a brief conversation with Chinese President Xi Jinping, where both leaders agreed on an expeditious 'de-escalation' from the disputed areas in Ladakh.
In a media briefing, Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra said, " On the sidelines of the BRICS Summit, the Prime Minister had interactions with other BRICS leaders. In a conversation with President Xi Jinping of China, Prime Minister highlighted India's concerns on the unresolved issues along the LAC (Line of Actual Control) in the Western sector of the India China border areas."
"Prime Minister underlined that the maintenance of peace and tranquility in the border areas and observing and respecting the LAC are essential for the normalisation of the India China relationship. In this regard, the two leaders agreed to direct their relevant officials to intensify efforts in expeditious disengagement and de-escalation," continued Kwatra.
Notably, both leaders have not sat together ever since a deadly clash erupted in the border regions of India and China in 2020. All eyes were on a possible bilateral meeting between PM Modi and Xi.
PM Modi and Xi had a brief interaction on the Galwan clash last year
This was not the first time when the two Asian giants held a brief conversation. When the leaders met during the G20 Summit in Bali last year, they had a brief interaction. Initially, the Ministry of External Affairs denied both leaders discussed any issues and called the meeting a "welcome gesture". However, earlier last month, the ministry confirmed that PM Modi and the Chinese President had discussed border issues when they met briefly at the Bali Summit.
MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said that both of them exchanged courtesies and spoke of the need to stabilize bilateral relationships or relations. "During the Bali G20 Summit last year, Prime Minister and President Xi Jinping, after the dinner hosted by the Indonesian President, exchanged courtesies and spoke of the need to stabilize our bilateral relations," Bagchi said in a regular press conference.
"I think the Foreign Secretary did mention maybe he didn't mention the second part of it. He did talk about exchanging courtesies and I think there was a general discussion or spoke of the need to stabilize our bilateral relationship or relations," he added.
Xi skipped the BRICS economic summit
Moreover, Xi on Tuesday, unexpectedly skipped the crucial BRICS Business Forum meeting despite his multiple pushes to boost the Chinese economy on the sidelines of the mega event. Despite being present in South Africa, his Commerce Minister Wang Wentao delivered the speech on behalf of the Chinese President wherein he came heavily on the "West's hegemony" and asserted it deliberately hindering the path of those nations which dare to progress at a rapid pace or more than its economy.
It is worth mentioning that the world leaders have accumulated in South Africa for the much-awaited 15th BRICS Summit. During the Business summit, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, and Russia's foreign minister Sergei Lavrov were present at the event.
Foreign Secy earlier gave a cryptic reply
While addressing a special press conference on Monday, Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra gave a cryptic reply to the reporters who asked him about the possibility of PM Modi meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping. He did not give a direct reply on the possibility of a meeting but instead said that the schedule of the Prime Minister's bilateral meetings is being finalised.
Notably, both sides have not sat together ever since a clash broke out between the Indian Army and China's PLA in 2020. During the violent clash, at least 20 Indian soldiers were martyred but Beijing did not provide any details of casualties.
If the bilateral meeting takes place, it will be their first since the India-China border standoff began.
Although the two world leaders held a series of meetings including when the duo met at a seaside resort at Mamallapuram in Tamil Nadu in October 2019, a bilateral meeting on the sideline of the BRICS summit in Brasilia in November 2019, they did not hold any bilateral meeting after a deadly border clash.
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