PM raises border concerns with Chinese President Xi on sidelines on Brics

Both leaders have agreed to direct officials to expedite de-escalation, Foreign Secretary said

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has expressed India's concerns on the “unresolved issues” along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh to the Chinese President Xi Jinping, during an interaction on the sidelines of the BRICS summit in Johannesburg, Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra said on Thursday.

"In that conversation with President Xi Jinping, Prime Minister Modi highlighted India's concerns with the unresolved issues along the LAC in the Western sector of the India-China border areas," Kwatra told reporters at a briefing.

The two leaders have agreed to direct their relevant officials to intensify efforts at expeditious disengagement and de-escalation, Kwatra said.

India and China held the 19th round of Corps Commander-level talks on August 13 and 14 with a focus on resolving pending issues at the standoff areas of Depsang and Demchok in eastern Ladakh.

The Foreign Secretary said Modi had conversations with BRICS leaders on the sidelines of the summit of the grouping.

The ties between India and China came under severe strain following the eastern Ladakh border standoff that began in May, 2020.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) confirmed that both leaders had spoken about the need to 'stabilise' bilateral relations at an encounter during the previous G-20 summit, which was held in  Bali, Indonesia in November last year.

President Xi is expected to travel to New Delhi for the G-20 Leaders Summit to be held from September 9 to 10.