With border talks breakthrough, is stage set for Modi-Xi meet at Brics summit?

Stage is now set for a possible bilateral talks between India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi and China’s President Xi Jinping. A day before Modi is scheduled to attend the Brics summit in Russia, India’s Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri announced on Monday that New Delhi and Beijing have reached an agreement during military-level talks on joint patrolling along friction points on the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh.

Misri’s announcement paves the way for a possible end to the border stand-off between the two of the biggest military and economic powers in Asia. India and China have strained their bilateral ties after Chinese troops tried to change the status quo in April-May 2020 during the early months of Covid-19 pandemic.  

The soldiers from the two sides were engaged in the bloodiest fight in several decades in the Galwan Valley more than four years ago. India reported the death of 20 soldiers. China kept the number of its deceased soldiers secret, with reports suggesting that it lost somewhere between 35 and 45 personnel in the hand-to-hand combat with the Indian soldiers.

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Multiple rounds of military-level talks happened before Misri announced a breakthrough on the eve of the Brics summit to be attended by both Modi and Xi.

Modi is scheduled to be in the Russian town Kazan for the Brics summit from October 22-23 at the invitation of Russian President Vladimir Putin, India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said last week.  

The 16th Brics summit —involving Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa as permanent members— will be held under the Chairmanship of Russia. The BRICS summit’s theme is “Strengthening Multilateralism for Just Global Development and Security”.  

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The leaders are expected to discuss key global issues including the Ukraine war and the West Asia crisis among others. This is Modi’s second Russia visit in four months. He had visited Russia in July — his first since Russia invaded Ukraine. Modi followed up his Russia visit with a tour of Ukraine.  

Focus on Modi-Xi meet

If Modi and Xi meet on the sidelines of the Brics summit in Kazan, it will be their first meeting since they met at the previous event venue in South Africa in July 2023.  

India has scaled down its diplomatic engagement with China against the backdrop of its aggressive posturing on the LAC that began in 2020. India has taken a number of measures to check the influence of several government-backed Chinese companies that were allegedly using legal loopholes to take undue advantage in Indian markets, violating privacy rights of the users.

The Chinese foreign ministry has also confirmed that Xi will be attending the 16th Brics summit in Kazan from October 22 to 24. During his visit, Xi is expected to attend the leaders’ meeting and the expert leaders’ dialogues among other activities.

Originally comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, the Brics last year agreed to expand its membership. It agreed to admit six more nations — Egypt, Ethiopia, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, and Argentina.

Argentina, however, later changed its mind. Saudi Arabia too remains uncertain as China and Russia aim to make it an alternative to the West-dominated G7.