Sino-India pact on border issue positive development: Russian envoy

Russian envoy to India Denis Alipov Monday termed the Sino-India pact on the border issue a positive development in bilateral ties and welcomed the meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the Brics summit in Kazan.

Asserting that the recently concluded Brics summit in the Russian city of Kazan was a "total success", he said the grouping is "not an exclusive but an inclusive platform".

"Brics is not anti-West but non-West," Alipov said during an interaction with reporters here.

To a question on the Sino-India pact on border issues, he said, "It is a positive development in India-China bilateral ties."  On October 23, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping endorsed the agreement on patrolling and disengagement along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh during their bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the Brics Summit.

Asked about the meeting between Modi and Xi, the Russian envoy to India said, "We have not played any role in it but we are happy that it took place in Kazan."  "We wholeheartedly welcome the meeting," he added.