Notes

Modi-Xi bilateral today, first in 5 years, after China confirms LAC agreement

Contact Counsellor

Last Updated24/10/2024

Hours after China, without mentioning the agreement on patrolling along the Line of Actual Control, confirmed it had “reached a solution” and would “work with India” to “effectively implement” the plan.

India and China are set to hold a significant bilateral meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit in Kazan, Tatarstan, Russia. This marks the first structured bilateral meeting between the two leaders in five years.

The meeting follows China’s confirmation that it had “reached a solution” regarding ongoing border tensions along the Line of Actual Control (LAC). However, China did not explicitly mention the agreement on patrolling arrangements. Both sides have been engaged in discussions to resolve issues stemming from the Chinese incursions in eastern Ladakh in 2020, which led to a military standoff.

First Bilateral Since 2019: This meeting will be the first proper bilateral dialogue since the two leaders met informally in Mahabalipuram in 2019. Prior to this, they had brief interactions during the Bali (2022) and Johannesburg (2023) summits.
Focus on Border Issues: The main agenda is likely to include discussions on the patrolling agreement along the disputed LAC, which aims to restore the situation to the 2020 status quo in pending areas.

Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri confirmed the bilateral meeting, stating it would focus on unresolved issues. He explained that the patrolling and grazing arrangements in disputed areas would revert to the situation before the standoff in 2020.

Earlier, China confirmed a resolution had been reached on "relevant matters" related to the border. At a media briefing in Beijing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian acknowledged the progress made in recent diplomatic and military discussions, though China refrained from providing specific details on the patrolling agreement.
The state-run Global Times also reported positively on this progress, quoting Lin as saying that China will “work with India to effectively implement the solution plan.”