New Delhi, October 24, 2024: Days after India and China reached an agreement on military stand-off in eastern Ladakh, Special Representatives from India and China will meet soon to explore a “fair, reasonable and mutually acceptable solution to the boundary question”.
These Special Representatives will also oversee the management of peace and tranquility in border areas as agreed upon by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese president Xi Jinping during their meeting on the sidelines of the 16th BRICS Summit at Kazan on Wednesday.
Modi and Xi noted that special representatives on India-China boundary question have critical role to play in its resolution, said Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri.
The bilateral ties between India and China took a huge hit in 2020 when around 20 Indian soldiers were killed in a clash with Chinese troops in the Galwan area. This was the first meeting between Modi and Xi in the five years.
PM Modi also underscored need of not allowing differences on boundary related matters to disturb peace and tranquility on borders.
The two leaders affirmed that “stable, predictable, and amicable bilateral relations” between India and China, as they will have a positive impact on regional and global peace and prosperity.
“It will also contribute to a multi-polar Asia and a multi-polar world. The leaders underlined the need to progress bilateral relations from a strategic and long-term perspective, enhance strategic communication and explore cooperation to address developmental challenges,” read the statement by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).
Foreign Secretary Misri said that the two leaders also reviewed the state of bilateral relations from a strategic and long-term perspective. “The restoration of peace and tranquillity in the border areas will create space for returning us towards the path of normalization of our bilateral relations. Officials will now take the next steps to discuss enhancing strategic communication and stabilizing bilateral relations by utilizing the relevant official bilateral dialogue mechanisms, including at the level of our respective foreign ministers,” he said.
PM Modi also assured India’s full support to China’s SCO presidency next year.
They also had a very productive exchange on BRICS and the potential for India and China to enhance cooperation on this particular platform.