25-8-2023 (BEIJING) Chinese President Xi Jinping and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi engaged in “candid and in-depth” discussions aimed at de-escalating tensions along their disputed border, according to an official statement from Beijing. This rare face-to-face meeting between the leaders of the world’s two most populous countries comes against the backdrop of strained relations following a deadly clash in the Himalayan region in 2020.
The deadly border clash in 2020 resulted in the loss of 20 Indian soldiers and at least four Chinese troops, leading to a deep freeze in relations. Since then, tens of thousands of soldiers from both sides have been deployed along the border, despite 19 rounds of talks between top military officials from both nations.
The leaders met during the BRICS summit in South Africa, and the Chinese foreign ministry described their exchange as a “candid and in-depth exchange of views.” President Xi emphasized that improving China-India relations is in the common interest of both nations and their people. He called on both sides to consider the overall interests of their bilateral relationship and manage the border issue effectively to jointly uphold peace.
India’s foreign secretary stated that Prime Minister Modi highlighted the unresolved issues along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), which separates India’s Ladakh region from Chinese territory where the deadly 2020 clash occurred. Modi stressed the importance of observing and respecting the LAC for normalizing India-China relations.
The shared 3,500km frontier between India and China has been a perennial source of tension, with disputes and military assertiveness causing concerns. Additionally, China claims India’s northeastern state of Arunachal Pradesh as part of Tibet, leading to a full-scale border war between the two nations in 1962. Both countries have accused each other of attempting to seize territory along the Line of Actual Control.
The 2020 border clash in the Ladakh region significantly deteriorated relations, prompting India to invest heavily in connectivity projects and strengthen its military presence along the border. India is also seeking closer ties with Western countries, including the United States, Japan, and Australia, which are looking to it as an alternative partner to China.
Despite 19 rounds of military talks, including one earlier this month, there has been no significant progress on resolving the border disputes. While both Xi and Modi have participated in numerous multilateral diplomatic meetings since the 2020 clashes, this recent face-to-face encounter marked their first substantial interaction since the G20 Summit in Bali last November.
