Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday held bilateral talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit in Russia's Kazan and emphasised that maintaining peace and stability on the border should be their top priority.
The prime minister told the Chinese president that mutual respect and sensitivity should be the basis of their relationship. “We believe India-China ties are important not just for our people but for peace, stability and development."
Modi further stated that both nations would talk with an open mind and the discussions would be constructive.
This is the first formal discussion between the two leaders since border tensions erupted in eastern Ladakh in May 2020. The last structured meeting between the two leaders took place during their second informal summit in Mamallapuram in October 2019.
Expressing his pleasure to meet PM Modi in Kazan, Xi Jinping said that the people in their respective countries and the international community are paying great attention to their meeting.
"China and India are both ancient civilisations, major developing countries, and important members of the global south. We are both at a crucial phase in our respective modernisation endeavours. It best serves the fundamental interests of our two countries and peoples," said Xi Jinping.
In a statement, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) stated that the two 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.
Both countries recently reached an agreement to end the standoff between their armies regarding patrolling along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh.
On Monday, India announced a major breakthrough in ending the more than four-year-long military standoff, which the Chinese side confirmed on Tuesday.
Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Modi participated in the 16th BRICS Summit held under Russia’s Chairship.
Modi noted that the summit was happening at a time when the world is undergoing several uncertainties and challenges including conflicts, adverse climatic impacts, and cyber threats, placing greater expectations upon BRICS.
"In order to counter terrorism and terror financing, we need the single-minded, firm support of all. There is no place for double standards on this serious matter. We need to take active steps to stop the radicalisation of youth in our countries. We must work together on the long-pending matter in the UN of the Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism," said the prime minister.
Welcoming efforts to increase financial integration among BRICS countries, Modi also highlighted UPI's success story.
"Trade in local currencies and smooth cross-border payments will strengthen our economic cooperation. The Unified Payments Interface (UPI) developed by India is a huge success story and has been adopted in many countries," added Modi.
