New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping held their first bilateral meeting in five years on Wednesday (23 October) during the BRICS summit in Russia. The meeting lasted for about 50 minutes. This meeting has taken place at a time when India and China have agreed to restore each other's patrolling rights in the Depsang Plains and Demchok area. This reflects efforts to resolve the confrontation on the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh.

During the bilateral meeting, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that we are having a formal meeting after 5 years. We believe that India-China relations are very important not only for our people but also for global peace, stability, and progress. We welcome the consensus reached on the issues that have arisen in the last 4 years on the border. Maintaining peace and stability on the border should remain our priority. Mutual trust, mutual respect, and mutual sensitivity should remain the basis of our relations. He further said that our meeting is important for global peace and stability. The agreement on the border is welcome. I am confident that we will talk with an open mind and our discussion will be constructive.

The world is watching our meeting- Jinping

At the bilateral meeting between India and China, Chinese President Xi Jinping said, “The people of our two countries and the international community are paying close attention to our meeting. Both sides need to have more dialogue and cooperation, properly handle their differences and disagreements, and help each other meet each other's development aspirations.”

He further said that it is also important for both sides to shoulder their international responsibility, set an example to enhance the strength and unity of developing countries, and contribute to promoting multi-polarisation and democracy in international relations. “China and India are both ancient civilizations, major developing countries , and important members of the global South. We are both at a critical stage in our respective modernization efforts. This best serves the fundamental interests of both our countries and peoples.

when did you last meet

The top leaders of the two developing nations last met at an informal summit in Mahabalipuram in October 2019, months before the Chinese incursion in eastern Ladakh led to a military standoff at the LAC. Though they have had a few brief meetings in Bali (2022) and Johannesburg (2023), Wednesday’s (October 23, 2024) meeting is the first proper bilateral meeting.