India and China have reached an agreement on patrolling arrangements along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh, marking progress in easing tensions that arose after the 2020 standoff.
The agreement comes on the eve of the 16th BRICS Summit, scheduled to take place in Kazan, Russia, on October 22-23. The summit will bring together key leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping, raising speculation about a possible bilateral meeting between the two leaders on the sidelines.
Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, during a media briefing ahead of PM Modi’s visit to Russia, confirmed the agreement. “Following extensive discussions with Chinese interlocutors through the Working Mechanism for Consultation & Coordination (WMCC) and at the military level, both sides have reached a consensus on new patrolling arrangements along the LAC,” Misri said.
He emphasized that these discussions are leading to gradual disengagement and could eventually resolve the tensions that escalated after the 2020 border clashes. “While some locations of the standoff have previously been resolved, a few remained unresolved. This recent agreement reflects positive movement toward restoring normalcy,” he added.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) had earlier noted, after the August WMCC meeting in Beijing, that both sides had engaged in “frank, constructive, and forward-looking” exchanges to narrow differences. Building on guidance from foreign ministers’ meetings in Astana and Vientiane in July 2024, the talks focused on accelerating progress and identifying solutions for outstanding issues along the LAC.
Both nations have agreed to uphold peace and tranquility in the border areas in accordance with existing bilateral agreements and protocols, emphasizing that respect for the LAC is fundamental to restoring normal relations between India and China.
The BRICS Summit, themed “Strengthening Multilateralism for Just Global Development and Security,” will offer leaders a platform to discuss pressing global issues and assess the progress of ongoing BRICS initiatives. PM Modi is also expected to hold bilateral meetings with other BRICS leaders and invited dignitaries.
(Inputs from ANI)
