New Delhi: In a major breakthrough ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s trip to Russia for the BRICS summit, India and China have established arrangements for patrolling along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the Himalayas, which could lead to "disengagement" and resolving the tensions that began in May 2020 with the bloody border clash, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri announced on Monday. 

“These talks have resulted in an agreement on patrolling arrangements along the Line of Actual Control in the India-China border areas leading to disengagement and a resolution of the issues that had risen in these areas in 2020," he said at a press conference.

PM Modi is leaving for Russia on Tuesday to participate in the BRICS summit, at the invitation of President Vladimir Putin, and this development has come just hours ahead of the trip.

The agreement is believed to focus on patrolling in the Depsang and Demchok regions, official sources said.

Details of the Agreement
Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri addressed a special media briefing on Monday, stating that discussions with Chinese interlocutors led to the agreement on patrolling arrangements. He emphasised that this agreement is a step towards disengagement and aims to resolve the issues that arose after actions by the Chinese military in eastern Ladakh in 2020. Misri noted, "We have been in discussion with Chinese interlocutors through WMCC, as mentioned earlier, and at the military level as well through meetings of military commanders at various levels."

Path to Disengagement
The discussions over recent weeks have successfully culminated in a consensus on patrolling arrangements, which could pave the way for a resolution to the outstanding issues in the region. Misri pointed out that previous discussions have successfully resolved standoffs at various locations along the border. He stated, "Now as a result of the discussions that have taken place over the last several weeks, an agreement has been arrived at on patrolling arrangements along the Line of Actual Control in the India-China border areas."

Context of Tensions and Future Meetings
Though no specific information is available regarding PM Modi's bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit, the patrolling agreement may facilitate discussions between Modi and Xi. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) indicated that the last Working Mechanism for Consultation & Coordination on India-China Border Affairs (WMCC) meeting held in August resulted in a "frank, constructive, and forward-looking exchange of views" on the situation along the LAC. The MEA's release reiterated the importance of restoring peace and tranquillity along the border as a basis for normalising bilateral relations.

Upcoming BRICS Summit
PM Modi is scheduled to visit Russia on October 22-23 to attend the 16th BRICS Summit in Kazan, chaired by Russia. The summit, themed "Strengthening Multilateralism for Just Global Development and Security," will provide a platform for leaders to discuss key global issues. The MEA stated that the summit would also allow PM Modi to hold bilateral meetings with counterparts from BRICS member countries and invited leaders.