Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping for bilateral talks today at the BRICS Summit in Kazan, Russia. This meeting marks their first direct discussions since the 2020 Galwan clash, a significant event that heightened tensions between the two nations.

The upcoming dialogue follows a recent agreement reached between India and China concerning patrols along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), which spans approximately 3,500 kilometers. This agreement aims to de-escalate the border standoff that has persisted for four years, culminating in the deadly skirmish in Galwan Valley.

Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri confirmed the meeting, stating, “I can confirm that there will be a bilateral meeting held between PM Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping tomorrow on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit…”

Earlier, China also acknowledged the agreement regarding patrolling along the LAC. Lin Jian, a spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry, mentioned, “Over the past few weeks, China and India have been in close communication through diplomatic and military channels on issues related to the China-India border. Now, the two sides have reached a resolution on the relevant matters which China speaks highly of. Going forward, China will work with India to implement these resolutions.”

On Monday, Foreign Secretary Misri echoed similar sentiments, highlighting the importance of ongoing diplomatic efforts. He noted, “I can share with you that over the last several weeks, Indian and Chinese diplomatic and military negotiators have been in close contact with each other in a variety of forums. And as a result of these discussions, agreement has been arrived at on patrolling arrangements along the Line of Actual Control in the India-China border areas, leading to disengagement and a resolution of the issues that had arisen in these areas in 2020. And we will be taking the next steps on this.”

Since the Galwan clash, the two leaders have only had one formal meeting, which occurred at the BRICS Summit in Johannesburg, South Africa, in August 2023. They also had a brief informal interaction during the G20 summit in Bali, Indonesia, in November 2022.

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