Peace along border like 'insurance policy' for China ties: Foreign secy

PM Modi and President Xi held wide-ranging talks earlier with a focus on rebuilding the bilateral ties that came under severe strain following the over four-year border standoff in eastern Ladakh

Peace and tranquility at the border is like an "insurance policy" for India-China ties and Prime Minister Narendra Modi conveyed it very clearly to Chinese President Xi Jinping on Sunday, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said.

India's assertion came after Xi said that the border issue should not define the overall China-India relations.

PM Modi and President Xi held wide-ranging talks earlier in the day with a focus on rebuilding the bilateral ties that came under severe strain following the over four-year border standoff in eastern Ladakh that ended in October last year.

In the meeting Modi underlined the importance of peace and tranquility on the border areas for continued development of bilateral relations.

Asked about Xi's remarks, Misri said at a media briefing that India has been consistently maintaining that peace and tranquility at the frontier is essential for the overall development of the relations.

"From the very beginning, we have maintained at various levels that the situation on the boundary will inevitably have some impact on bilateral relations," the foreign secretary said at a media briefing.

"And that is precisely why the most important kind of 'insurance policy' for our bilateral ties is to maintain peace and tranquility on the boundary."  "So today, the prime minister himself also conveyed this very clearly to President Xi, and we will continue to maintain this position," Misri added.

Misri said the boundary issue figured in the Modi-Xi discussions and both leaders took note of the successful disengagement of troops last year and the maintenance of peace and tranquility in the border regions since then.

"In voicing certain principles related to this issue, the prime minister underlined the need for peace and tranquility on the border areas for continued and smooth development of bilateral relations," he said.

"There was an understanding on the need to maintain peace on the borders using the existing mechanisms and avoid disturbances to the overall relationship going forward," he added.

The foreign secretary said Modi and Xi also expressed a commitment to "a fair, reasonable, and mutually acceptable resolution of the boundary question, proceeding from the political perspective of their overall bilateral relations and in the long-term interests of the two peoples."  In the last few months, both sides have initiated a series of measures to reset their ties that came under severe strain following the deadly clashes between Indian and Chinese troops in Galwan Valley in June 2020.

To a question on when the de-escalation will take place along the border,  Misri said the discussion on it will take place in the designated mechanisms.

Misri said Modi also mentioned the challenge of cross-border terrorism and pitched for extending support to each other to combat it.

"Cross-border terrorism was mentioned by the prime minister as a priority. And, I would add that he did underline the fact that this is something that impacts both India and China," he said.

"And, that it's important therefore that we extend understanding and extend support to each other as both of us combat cross-border terrorism."  "And I would in fact like to say that we have received the understanding and cooperation of China as we have dealt with the issue of cross-border terrorism in the context of the ongoing SCO summit," he said.

Misri said President Xi made four suggestions to further upgrade bilateral ties.

"The suggestions are namely: to strengthen strategic communication and deepen mutual trust; to expand exchanges and cooperation to achieve mutual benefit and win-win results; to accommodate each other's concerns; and finally to strengthen multilateral cooperation to safeguard common interests," he said.

"All of these were responded to positively by Prime Minister Modi," Misri added.

The foreign secretary said the two leaders were of the view that differences between India and China should not be allowed to be turned into disputes.