Ladakh Standoff
The Indian and Chinese armies engaged in major clashes along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in 2020. Since, relations between the two neighbors have remained tense.

Improving China-India Ties Conducive to Global Stability: Xi to Modi

11:23, 25 August 2023
CC BY-SA 2.0 / Narendra Modi / PM Modi with Chinese President Xi Jinping
Dhairya Maheshwari
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The last time Prime Minister Modi and President Xi came face-to-face to discuss the Ladakh border issue was during the G-20 Summit in Bali held in last November.
Sputnik
Chinese President Xi Jinping has told Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi that improving China-India ties “serves the interests of both the countries and peoples”, said a Chinese Foreign Ministry readout of the conversation held between two leaders on the margins of the BRICS Summit in Johannesburg on 22-24 August.
Xi stated that the improved bilateral relations were also “conducive to peace, stability and development of the world and the region”, it said.

“The two sides should bear in mind the overall interests of their bilateral relations and properly handle the border issue so as to jointly safeguard peace and tranquility in the border region,” the Chinese Foreign Ministry underlined.

The statement noted that both the leaders had a “candid and in-depth exchange of views on current China-India relations and other questions of shared interest”.
Heads of delegations of the BRICS member states in Johannesburg, August 22, 2023
© Photo : Russian MFA
The conversation between Xi and Modi during the BRICS Summit was held "at the latter's request" , the Chinese Foreign Ministry's said in the statement.

India And China Agree to De-escalate Ladakh Situation - Again

Spelling out the details of the Xi-Modi conversation, Indian Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra told a press briefing in Johannesburg on Thursday that the Indian PM highlighted the “concerns” of New Delhi about the “unresolved” border situation in the western sector of the Line of Actual Control (LAC).

Modi told Xi that the resolution of the border issue and “observing the LAC” were “essential” to the normalization of the bilateral relations, Kwatra stated.

“In this regard, they have agreed to direct their relevant officials to intensify efforts at expeditious disengagement and de-escalation,” the Indian Foreign Secretary revealed.

Kwatra noted that the meeting between the two leaders was only a “conversation” and not a structured bilateral meeting as such.
Индийский военнослужащий в Ладакхе
© AP Photo / Mukhtar Khan
On 13-14 August, the military commanders of Indian Army and the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) held the 19th Corp Commander-level meeting at Chulshul-Moldo meeting point on India’s side of LAC, according to a joint press statement.

“They agreed to resolve the remaining issues in an expeditious manner and maintain the momentum of dialogue and negotiations through military and diplomatic channels. In the interim, the two sides agreed to maintain the peace and tranquility on the ground in the border areas,” the statement said.

Thousands of troops from both the countries are reportedly engaged in military standoffs at Depsang Plains and the Demchok Sector (CNY Nullah), according to Indian Defense Ministry sources.
Reports suggest that Chinese troops have been blocking the Indian Army’s access to five patrolling points (PP) at Depsang Plains since February 2020.
On 18 August, the two armies also reportedly held the major-general level talks to find a resolution to end the standoff at the remaining friction points.
Sputnik Opinion
India-China: Most Consequential Relations at Crossroads
8 August 2023, 20:59
Ladakh StandoffIndiaChinaPeople's Liberation Army (PLA)Narendra ModiXi JinpingLine of Actual Control (LAC)BRICS2023 BRICS SummitBRICS expansionPangong TsoIndian armyMinistry of External Affairs (MEA)border tensionsborder dispute
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