Apparently it was not a formal meeting, but India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi and China’s President Xi Jinping did converse on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit in Johannesburg, according to The Hindu, which reported that the discussion had occurred August 23. The upshot of the “conversation” as reported, is that the two heads of state agreed to step up efforts for a “expeditious de-escalation” along the disputed area of their common border, called as the Line of Actual Control, or LAC, so that overall relations can improve.
Indian Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra, the number two in the External Affairs Ministry, informed Indian journalists in Johannesburg briefly today:
“In a conversation with President Xi Jinping of China, Prime Minister highlighted India’s concerns on the unresolved issues along the LAC in the western sector of the India-China border areas. Prime Minister underlined that the maintenance of peace and tranquility in the border areas, and observing and respecting the LAC are essential for the normalization of the India-China relationship. In this regard, the two leaders agreed to direct their relevant officials to intensify efforts at expeditious disengagement and de-escalation.” [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ecjgUuOxfPI]
