Modi, Xi discuss Ladakh border dispute, agree to advance peace efforts

Bilateral talks reviewed from strategic and long term perspective, officials to take talks forward

As part of their first bilateral meeting in nearly five years, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday directed officials to take forward talks on resolving the ongoing border dispute in Ladakh.

 

Modi also said that differences between the two sides should not be allowed to disturb peace along the border.

 

Both leaders stressed that with maturity and wisdom, and by showing mutual respect for each other's sensitivities, interests, concerns and aspirations, the two countries can have a peaceful, stable, and beneficial bilateral relationship, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said at a briefing in Kazan (Russia), after the meeting.

 

“Both leaders were of the view that stable relations between India and China, the two largest nations on earth, will have a positive impact on regional and global peace,” Misri said.

 

Breaking the logjam in talks, the meeting also saw both sides reviewing bilateral relations “from a strategic and long term perspective,” apart from regional & international developments of mutual concern and interests. They agreed to maintain close communication, he added.

 

“As we have maintained in the last four years, the restoration of peace and tranquility in the border areas will create space for returning us towards the path of normalisation of our bilateral relations. Officials will now take the next step of enhancing strategic communications and stabilising bilateral relations,” Misri said.

 

The talks took place close on the heels of disengagement & patrolling pacts and resolution of issues that arose in border areas in 2020.

 

“The agreement was reached following sustained dialogue over the past few weeks in diplomatic as well as military channels,” Misri said.

 

Both sides have agreed that special representatives on the India-China boundary issue will meet at an early date to oversee the management of peace & tranquility in border areas. They will also explore a “fair, reasonable and mutually acceptable solution” to the boundary question.

 

This would entail special representatives from both countries — National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang — to officially meet for the first time since December 2020.

 

In May 2020, China had hindered the normal, traditional patrolling pattern of Indian troops in the Galwan Valley of Eastern Ladakh, which resulted in a face off.

 

On June 15 that year, Chinese troops clashed with Indian troops in Galwan, resulting in the deaths of 19 Indian soldiers.

 

Currently, an additional 50,000 troops on either side are reportedly present across the line of actual control in Ladakh.