Kazan: In a significant diplomatic development, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping agreed to resolve the long-standing military standoff along the eastern Ladakh border. The two leaders met for the first bilateral meeting in five years and committed to resuming patrolling in the disputed region. Both leaders instructed their special representatives—India’s Ajit Doval and China’s Wang Yi—to initiate discussions on implementing next steps swiftly.
Their meeting, which took place on Wednesday night, came just days after a key border agreement was reached. President Xi expressed his willingness to collaborate with India on maintaining peace and implementing the agreed-upon measures. Prime Minister Modi emphasized the importance of maintaining peace along the border, stating that improved relations between the two nations would be beneficial not only for bilateral ties but also for global stability and progress. He highlighted that mutual trust and respect should form the foundation of future relations.
Moving forward, both nations will strengthen strategic communication at the ministerial and diplomatic levels. Modi also offered India’s support to China as the new chairman of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) and reiterated the importance of cooperation within BRICS.
Xi Jinping stressed the necessity of increased communication and collaboration between India and China, calling for both nations to set an example of unity for the Global South. As two developing nations on the path of modernization, Xi noted that they have a significant role to play in promoting development and resolving differences, with a focus on building a non-polarized, democratic international order.
This high-level meeting marks a crucial step forward in repairing relations that had been strained since May 2020, when the Chinese army violated the Line of Actual Control, leading to tensions and conflict. The last bilateral meeting between the two leaders occurred in Mamallapuram, Tamil Nadu, in 2019.
