'India-China relations are important for global stability': PM Modi after first meeting in 5 yrs with Chinese President Xi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi held first bilateral meeting in five years with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday. The meeting was held in Russia on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit. This was the first bilateral meeting between Modi and Xi since the tension began in Ladakh in 2020. The meeting also comes just days after India and China agreed on patrolling along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh. 

Prime Minister Modi welcomed the recent agreement for complete disengagement and resolution of issues that arose in 2020 in the India-China border areas, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said soon after the bilateral meeting between Modi and Xi. "PM Modi underscored the importance of properly handling differences and disputes and not allowing them to disturb peace and tranquility." 

The ministry said the two leaders agreed that the Special Representatives on the India-China boundary question will meet at an early date to oversee the management of peace and tranquility in border areas and to explore a fair, reasonable and mutually acceptable solution to the boundary question. "The relevant dialogue mechanisms at the level of Foreign Ministers and other officials will also be utilised to stabilize and rebuild bilateral relations."

After meeting with Xi, Prime Minister Modi in a tweet said India-China relations are important for the people of both countries, and for regional and global peace and stability. "Mutual trust, mutual respect and mutual sensitivity will guide bilateral relations."

The MEA said that the two leaders affirmed that stable, predictable, and amicable bilateral relations between India and China, as two neighbors and the two largest nations on earth, will have a positive impact on regional and global peace and prosperity.

"It will also contribute to a multi-polar Asia and a multi-polar world. The leaders underlined the need to progress bilateral relations from a strategic and long-term perspective, enhance strategic communication and explore cooperation to address developmental challenges."

Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said NSA Ajit Doval and China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi have met on the sidelines of international events. "They have not had a round of talks in the special representatives format since December 2019. Following today's meeting, we hope to schedule the next round of the Special Representatives talks at an appropriate date."

Misri said the bilateral meeting between Modi and Xi and the agreement that was arrived a few days ago should certainly lead to an easing of the situation along the LAC. "We have a number of confidence-building measures and these evolve continuously. As the two sides engage once again in multiple formats, this is certainly a subject that I think will be under discussion between the two sides."