Wed Oct 23 07:08:07 UTC 2024: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping are set to hold a bilateral meeting during the BRICS summit in Russia on Wednesday. This will be their first formal discussion since border tensions escalated in eastern Ladakh in May 2020. The meeting follows a newly finalized agreement between India and China regarding military patrolling along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Ladakh, seen as a significant step towards resolving a four-year military standoff.
Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri confirmed the meeting’s details and noted that the immediate focus would be on military disengagement, with further talks on troop de-escalation expected. The agreement aims to restore patrolling and grazing activities to the conditions that existed in 2020 and prevent future clashes along the border.
Relations between India and China have been strained since a deadly clash in Galwan Valley in June 2020. Despite some disengagement efforts, unresolved issues in areas like Depsang and Demchok persist. CPI leader D Raja has called for peaceful borders and dialogue between the two nations, suggesting a return to the April 2020 situation to facilitate de-escalation.
China confirmed the agreement and stated its commitment to working with India to implement the resolution and maintain communication through diplomatic and military channels.
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