Kazan: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping held bilateral talks on Wednesday on the margins of the BRICS Summit in Russia. This meeting was notable as it was their first structured engagement in the last five years.

Progress on Eastern Ladakh Standoff

The discussions occurred two days after India and China reached a significant agreement regarding military patrolling along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh. This development marks a breakthrough in efforts to resolve the over four-year standoff at the border.

Previous Encounters

The last structured meeting between the two leaders took place during their second informal summit in Mamallapuram in October 2019. In November 2022, Modi and Xi exchanged pleasantries and had a brief conversation at a dinner hosted by the Indonesian President for the G20 leaders. Additionally, they held a short informal discussion in August last year during the BRICS Summit in Johannesburg.

Background of the Border Row

The eastern Ladakh border dispute erupted in May 2020, leading to heightened tensions between India and China. The recent meeting signifies a potential thaw in relations and progress towards diplomatic engagement between the two nations.