Chinese President Xi Jinping and India Prime Minister Narendra Modi meet on the sidelines of the BRICS summit in Kazan, Russia, on Wednesday (October 23, 2024).
| Photo Credit: China Daily via Reuters

China has said that the disengagement of troops in eastern Ladakh by the Chinese and Indian armies is going on “smoothly” following a recent agreement between the two nations.

On October 23, 2024, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping endorsed the agreement on patrolling and disengagement along the LAC in eastern Ladakh during their bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit in Kazan, Russia.

“In accordance with the resolutions that China and India reached recently on issues concerning the border area, the Chinese and Indian frontier troops are engaged in relevant work, which is going smoothly at the moment,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian told a media briefing in Beijing on Friday (October 25, 2024).

Also Read: BRICS Summit 2024 Highlights

India announced the agreement to pull back troops from the friction points on October 21 and China confirmed a day later saying the two sides have reached “resolutions on relevant matters” and Beijing will work with New Delhi to implement these resolutions.

“Following the agreement, the two countries have begun troop disengagement at the two friction points at Demchok and Depsang Plains in eastern Ladakh and this process is likely to be completed by October 28-29,” Indian Army sources said on Friday (October 25, 2024).

“The agreement was arrived at only for these two friction points, and “talks are still underway” for other areas,” they said.

The sources said that patrolling will begin at these points once the disengagement that began two days back is completed and both sides will move their respective troops and dismantle temporary structures.

Eventually, they added, the areas and patrolling status are expected to be moved back to the pre-April 2020 level.

​Over the borderline: On the India-China deal 

The ties between the two Asian giants nosedived following a fierce clash in the Galwan Valley in June 2020 that marked the most serious military conflict between the two sides in decades.

Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said on Monday (October 21, 2024) in New Delhi that the agreement was finalised following negotiations over the past several weeks and that it would lead to a resolution of the issues that arose in 2020.

The BRICS summit in Russia set the stage for an ice breaker between PM Narendra Modi and Xi Jinping.

The MEA announced: “An agreement has been arrived at 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 arisen in these areas in 2020.”

Why was this meeting important?

This was their first since 2019, when they had held a 2 day retreat in Mamallapuram and then in Brasilia at the BRICS Summit there.

Prior to the 2020 standoff that followed China’s transgressions at the LAC and India’s counter mobilisation, Modi and and Xi had met 18 times in 5 years- so the fact that they hadn’t met formally in the past 5 years is significant.

During the standoff they spoke twice, informally on the side-lines of summits in Indonesia and South Africa.

India has consistently held that “normal” ties including summit meetings can only begin once the LAC standoff is resolved.

At the end of their meeting here’s what India and China have announced:

Patrolling will restart in the last two friction points of Depsang and Demchok (Maps), back to 2020 levels

Disengagement at the other 5 friction points had taken place already:
1. Galwan Valley June 2020.

2. Pangong Tso February 2021- Disengagement- with buffer zone created

3, Kailash Ridge heights February 2021- Indian troops climbed down

4. Gogra Post August 2021: PP 17A-Disengagement- with buffer zone

5. Hot Springs September 2022: PP 15- Disengagement- with buffer zone

They agreed that this ends the disengagement process and they would now work on the next steps of de-escalation (thinning of troops) and de-induction (pulling back) to peace-time levels

Xi and Modi directed the Special Representatives NSA Doval and Wang Yi, who is also a senior politburo member of the CCP to meet and discuss the broader boundary dispute at an “early date”

They directed Foreign Ministers Jaishankar and Wang Yi to meet soon to discuss restarting other mechanisms of dialogue, and to “rebuild ties”

The next steps towards normalisation of ties- will also be taken up by the two sides.

What are those steps, that have been slowed or suspended in the past 4 years?

Travel links- direct flights were suspended due to Covid but never resumed due to the border

Visas- slowdown in issuance of visas for businesspersons, students, etc

Tourism has been virtually suspended between the two countries

Journalists have been sent back from Delhi and Beijing, with only one Indian agency remaining in China

Investment restrictions and special scrutiny of any Chinese investment above 25%

Is peace breaking out between the world’s two most populous nations? There are still some unanswered questions-

1. What steps or CBMs will the two armies take to ensure the disengagement is permanent? For India the terrain and infrastructure means it would take longer to re-induct troops if needed in the future

2. Will buffer zones, that were created in order to stabilize the border situation be dismantled or maintained? And if the buffer zones remain, how can the government claim they have restored pre-2020 levels?

3. How would India ensure there isn’t a repeat of the Doklam disengagement, where after an agreement to disengage from the friction point, the PLA doubled down on infrastructure on the Doklam plateau, turning grasslands into settled villages, bunkers and helicopter bases

4. Does India have clarity on what could have prompted the Chinese PLA’s aggressive actions in April 2020 ? If not, how can India be sure these will not create a new situation in the future?

The détente rushed to deadline for the BRICS summit certainly proved that groupings like the BRICS are an important forum as they provide the venue for bilateral resolutions- what were some of the other important takeaways from the Summit in Kazan:

With 10 BRICS leaders, 13 countries joining as BRICS Partners and about 40 others attending the outreach with the global south, the Summit proved that Russia and Mr. Putin are not isolated

134 Para joint statement that included a strong criticism of Israel’s military offensive on Gaza and civilian casualties, while separate national positions on Russia’s war in Ukraine

BRICS focussed on economic integration, including use of BRICS nation currencies, BRICS Bank NDB, BRICS Interbank Cooperation Mechanism (ICM), BRICS Grain Exchange, BRICS Cross-Border Payment System and BRICS Insurance Company

A push for Reform of Financial architecture like IMF and World Bank and global governance of UN and Security Council
Bilateral opportunities including the introduction of Iran’s new President Pezeshkian amidst the west Asian crisis, and India-China talks.

Worldview Take: 

The announcement that a resolution to the India-China military standoff since 2020 is in sight, is no doubt a positive development and a win for diplomats negotiating the outcome. What’s important from this point on is to see some transparency in the implementation of that resolution, and complete vigilance and verification of actions on the ground. India has been burnt in the past before- trust between two countries is the only guarantor of successful bilateral relations between them.

Reading Recommendations:

 
1.Understanding The India-China Border: The Enduring Threat of War in the High Himalayas by Manoj Joshi

 
2. India and China at Odds in the Asian Century: A Diplomatic and Strategic History by Vappala Balachandran

 
3. Contested Lands: India, China and the Boundary Dispute by Maroof Raza

 
4. INDIA-CHINA BOUNDARY PROBLEM, 1846-1947 by A.G. Noorani

 
5.The Fractured Himalaya: India Tibet China 1949-62 by Nirupama Rao

 
6.The Long Game: How the Chinese Negotiate: How the Chinese Negotiate with India by Vijay Gokhale

Presentation and production: Suhasini Haidar

Editing: Shibu Narayan and Sabika Syed

Russian President Vladimir Putin reacts during a press conference at the BRICS summit in Kazan, Russia October 24, 2024.
| Photo Credit: BRICS-RUSSIA2024.RU

Russian President Vladimir Putin warned on Thursday (October 24, 2024) against “illusory” attempts to defeat Russia on the battlefield ahead of his first meeting with UN chief Antonio Guterres in more than two years for talks set to focus on the conflict in Ukraine.

Mr. Putin was speaking in the Russian city of Kazan on the final day of the BRICS summit, a forum Moscow hopes will help forge a united front of emerging economies against the West.

Russia’s opponents “do not conceal their aim to deal our country a strategic defeat”, Mr. Putin said.

“I will say directly that these are illusory calculations, that can be made only by those who do not know Russia’s history.”

Shortly before he spoke, Russia’s lower house of parliament voted to ratify a defence pact with North Korea amid reports that Pyongyang has sent thousands of troops to Russia for training and possible deployment in Ukraine.

At the meeting, Chinese President Xi Jinping also warned about “serious challenges” in the world and said he hoped BRICS countries could be a “stabilising force for peace”.

“We need to continue to push for a ceasefire in Gaza, relaunch the two-state solution and stop the spread of war in Lebanon. There should be no more suffering and destruction in Palestine and Lebanon,” Xi said.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian slammed the UN Security Council’s role as Guterres listened, saying international bodies “lack the necessary efficiency to extinguish the fire of this crisis”.

Mr. Putin said the Middle East was “on the verge of full-scale war”.

Mr. Putin has faced calls from his BRICS allies to end the Ukraine conflict, which began when Moscow launched a full-scale military campaign in February 2022.

Pushing for a permanent seat for India at the United Nations Security Council, External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar today said established institutions must be reformed to create a more equitable global order. He also reiterated Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s message that this is not an era of war and global disputes must be resolved through dialogue and diplomacy.

Speaking at the 16th BRICS Summit in Russia’s Kazan, Dr Jaishankar said, “BRICS is a statement of how profoundly the old order is changing. At the same time, many inequities of the past also continue. In fact, they have assumed new forms and manifestations. We see that in the access to developmental resources and modern technology and efficiencies. Let us also recognise that the benefits of globalisation have been very uneven. Adding to all that, the Covid pandemic and multiple conflicts have aggravated the burdens borne by the Global South. Concerns of health, food and fuel security are particularly acute.”

The minister said the world is in danger of falling significantly behind in realising targets of sustainable development goals. “How do we create a more equitable global order? First, by strengthening and expanding platforms of an independent nature, and by widening the choices in different domains and minimising undue reliance on those that can be leveraged. This is really where BRICS can make a difference for the Global South,” he said.

“Second, by reforming established institutions and mechanisms, especially the UN Security Council, in the permanent and the non-permanent categories. So too the multilateral development banks, whose working procedures are just as outdated as that of the UN,” he added. India, Dr Jaishankar said, initiated an effort in this direction during its G20 Presidency and is glad to see Brazil take it forward.

A permanent seat at the UN Security Council has been India’s longstanding demand. This demand is backed by major world powers, including the US, UK and France. Currently, China, France, Russia, the UK and the US are permanent members of the UN Security Council.

“Third, by democratising the global economy through creating more production hubs. The Covid experience is a sharp reminder of the need for more resilient and shorter supply chains. For essential needs, every region legitimately aspires to create their own production capabilities. Fourth, by correcting distortions in global infrastructure that are a legacy from the colonial era. The world urgently needs more connectivity options that enhance logistics and mitigate risks. This must be a collective endeavour for the common good, with the utmost respect for territorial integrity and sovereignty. And fifth, by sharing experiences and new initiatives. India’s Digital Public Infrastructure, its Unified Payment Interface, the Gatishakti infrastructure all hold a larger relevance,” he said.

The minister added that the International Solar Alliance, the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure, the Global Biofuel Alliance, Mission LiFE and the International Big Cat Alliance are initiatives of common interest. “As a First Responder, be it for natural calamities, health emergencies or economic crises, we seek to do our fair share.”

Referring to the war in West Asia and Ukraine, Dr Jaishankar said addressing conflicts effectively is a particular need of the day. “Prime Minister Modi has emphasised that this is not an era of war. Disputes and differences must be settled by dialogue and diplomacy. Agreements, once reached, must be scrupulously respected. International law should be adhered to, without exception. And there should be zero tolerance for terrorism,” he said.

“The situation in the Middle East, West Asia for us, is an understandable concern. There is a widespread anxiety that the conflict would spread further in the region. Maritime trade has also been deeply affected. The human and material consequences of further escalation are truly serious. Any approach has to be fair and durable, leading to a two state solution,” the minister said, reiterating India’s long-held stand on the Palestine issue.

Chinese President Xi Jinping, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi attend a concert before an informal dinner on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit in Kazan, Russia onn October 22, 2024.
| Photo Credit:
Reuters

Prime Minister Narendra Modi today (October 23, 2024) will hold an eagerly watched bilateral meeting with the Chinese President Xi Jinping. The meeting, on the second day of the 16th summit of the BRICS grouping, comes on the heels of a major breakthrough on patrolling by their militaries along the Line of Actual Control in eastern Ladakh. 

Also read | BRICS Summit 2024 Oct. 22 Highlights

PM Modi wrapped up the first day of the summit with bilateral meetings with Russia’s President Vladimir Putin, and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian. With Mr. Putin, he assured India’s committent to providing “all possible assistance” to end the Russia-Ukraine crisis.

On Thursday, Mr. Putin is set to meet with United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, who will be making his first visit to Russia in more than two years — a visit slammed by Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry.

Read live updates here:

Kazan:

Prime Minister Narendra Modi discussed the issue of early discharge of the remaining Indian nationals in the Russian Army during his bilateral meeting on Tuesday with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of the 16th BRICS Summit in Kazan.

Addressing a media briefing, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said the two leaders also shared perspectives on the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. Prime Minister reiterated that dialogue and diplomacy was the way forward to achieve resolution of the conflict. He briefed President Putin about his engagements with the Ukrainian leadership and noted that India stood ready to contribute in bringing peace to the region.

“An important issue that came up was the issue of early discharge of the remaining Indian nationals in the Russian army. This figured from both sides in the discussion and with the support of the Russian side, a number of Indian nationals have, in recent months, been able to return to India. We understand that currently the embassy is pursuing around 20 cases with the Russian side and we very much hope that all of these individuals can be released at an early date and be repatriated to India very soon,” he said.

Mr Misri said the two sides also expressed satisfaction at the ongoing defence cooperation and agreed to hold the next meeting of the India-Russia Intergovernmental Cooperation Group on Defence Cooperation in Moscow at an early date.

On energy cooperation in which there is engagement between India and Russia on building nuclear power plants in India, it was agreed that the Department of Atomic Energy and the Russian agency Rosatom would continue to remain in touch to adhere to the mutually agreed schedule for the installation of the remaining units, that is units 3 to 6 of the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project.

Economic cooperation figured quite prominently in the talks and the two sides discussed the possibility of further cooperation in the financial sector, Mr Misri said. Sustaining supply chains for the steady and regular sourcing of fertilizers and coal from Russia was also discussed and President Putin promised assistance in this regard as well, he added.

The Foreign Secretary said India will host the 25th session of the India-Russia Intergovernmental Commission on trade, technical, economic and cultural cooperation in New Delhi on November 12, 2024, for which the Russian delegation will be led by Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov. “As I had pointed out just a couple of days ago as well, India is at this time working with the Russian side to open a new consulate right here in Kazan in the not too distant future. Another new consulate that was announced sometime back will be opened in Yekaterinburg,” he said.

PM Modi said in a post on X that he had an excellent meeting with President Putin. “The bond between India and Russia is deep-rooted. Our talks focussed on how to add even more vigour to our bilateral partnership across diverse sectors,” he said.

Prime Minister thanked President Putin for his invitation to attend the 16th BRICS Summit. He appreciated the Russian Chairship of BRICS and its efforts to strengthen multilateralism, advance sustainable development, and push for global governance reform. The two leaders also reviewed bilateral cooperation in a range of fields, including political, economic, defence, energy, and people-to-people ties.

An official release said the two leaders agreed to remain engaged to further strengthen the Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership between the two countries, which continues to register significant growth and has shown resilience in the backdrop of geopolitical uncertainties.

Mr Misri said the two leaders discussed the progress made in bilateral relations since the 22nd annual Summit between them, which was held in July this year in Moscow.

“The two leaders had an extensive agenda to go over the whole range of bilateral issues including trade, economy, energy, defence, connectivity, education and people-to-people ties were discussed between the two of them. Regional and global issues of mutual concern also came up for discussion. The two leaders also exchanged views on several matters concerning BRICS and President Putin expressed his appreciation for India’s constructive attitude and contributions in concluding the documents related to the Kazan BRICS Summit.”

The Foreign Secretary said India has old historical links with Kazan, a city which lay on an ancient trade route.

On his arrival at the hotel, PM Modi was greeted by members of the Indian community in Kazan.

“We also had members of the local ISKCON branch singing Sanskrit chants to welcome him, and a group of Russian artists performed Kathak and Garba dances on the occasion. Thereafter, the Prime Minister witnessed a photo exhibition on Mahatma Gandhi that highlighted the Mahatma’s engagement with Leo Tolstoy and this is particularly significant as it was in Kazan that Leo Tolstoy studied for several years,” he said.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the 16th BRICS summit in Kazan, Russia, on October 22, 2024.
| Photo Credit: PTI

India supports restoration of peace between Ukraine and Russia and is committed to providing “all possible assistance” to end the crisis, said Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday (October 22, 2024) during a bilateral meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Mr. Modi took part in the bilateral meeting soon after reaching Kazan where Russia is hosting the 16th BRICS summit in the backdrop of the continued conflicts in the Gaza Strip and Ukraine. Mr. Modi also met Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and called for the de-escalation of tension in the West Asian region.

ALSO READ: BRICS Summit 2024 – October 22 highlights

“We have been in continuous contact over the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. As I have said before, we continue to believe that these disputes should be resolved through peaceful means. We support restoration of peace and stability as soon as possible. Our efforts prioritise humanity. India is ready to provide all possible assistance in the upcoming period,” said Mr. Modi in his opening remarks. The Prime Minister’s participation in the BRICS events in Kazan comes months after he travelled to Moscow for the summit last July.

Earlier, Mr. Modi was received by Rustam Minnikhanov, head of the Republic of Tatarstan and given a traditional Tatar welcome at Kazan, which is the largest city and the capital of Russia’s Tatarstan. He was driven to the bilateral meeting with Mr. Putin in an Aurus car.

Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said in a press briefing that the two sides also discussed the early release of Indian nationals who had ended up fighting for the Russian military on the Ukraine front, after being duped by unscrupulous foreign employment agents. “Currently the embassy is pursuing around twenty cases with the Russian side and we very much hope that all of these individuals can be released at an early date and repatriated to India,” said Mr. Misri.

Mr. Misri announced that the two sides will hold the 25th session of the India-Russia Inter-Governmental Commission on trade, technical and cultural cooperation in November in New Delhi and that India will soon be opening two new consulates in Kazan and in Yekaterinburg.

India-Iran talks

In his meeting with the new Iranian President, Mr. Modi discussed the Chabahar port, the North-South Transport Corridor and the situation in Afghanistan. “The Prime Minister expressed his deep concern over the escalating conflict and reiterated India’s call for the protection of civilians and emphasised the need for dialogue and diplomacy,” said Mr. Misri.

The BRICS summit in Kazan is the first occasion when the grouping will convene in its expanded shape that it acquired after the Johannesburg summit in 2023. Iran, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Ethiopia, and the UAE were cleared to join BRICS in Johannesburg and the process of new members’ admission was completed on January 1, 2024.

The summit, which will be held on Wednesday, under the chairship of Russia has also drawn global attention as it is being interpreted as a sign of Russia’s leading position despite the ongoing crisis in Ukraine.

Ahead of the BRICS summit, Mr. Putin hosted the President of the United Arab Emirates Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan on October 21 in the presidential residence of Novo-Ogaryovo in Moscow where he had hosted Mr. Modi during the India-Russia annual summit in July.

Dmitry Peskov, Press Secretary for the Russian President, said the Putin-Al Nahyan meeting was aimed at discussing “serious issues calmly”. Among other leaders who arrived in Kazan were Chinese President Xi Jinping, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, Tajik President Emomali Rahmon, Belarus’ President Alexander Lukashenko, Prime Minister of Vietnam Pham Minh Chinh and Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. Md Jashim Uddin, the Foreign Secretary of Bangladesh, is also being hosted at Kazan.

Kazan, Russia:

Prime Minister Narendra Modi today began his two-day official visit to Russia, his second in three months, to attend the BRICS Summit. The prime minister will attend the summit in Russia’s Kazan with Russia’s Putin, China’s Xi Jinping, Brazil’s Lula da Silva, and South Africa’s Cyril Ramaphosa.

Besides the key international forum, the prime minister’s visit assumes significance on two accounts – the role India is playing to broker peace between Russia and Ukraine, and the breakthrough in talks with China over the situation along the Line of Actual Control in Ladakh.

Ahead of the BRICS summit, PM Modi emphasised the importance of close cooperation by member states. Upon his arrival in Kazan, the prime minister wrote in a post on X saying “This is an important summit, and the discussions here will contribute to a better planet.”

WILL PM MODI AND XI JINPING MEET IN RUSSIA?

India and China have established a patrolling mechanism along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), marking a potential step towards easing tensions that escalated in May 2020,” Vikram Misri, India’s Foreign Secretary announced yesterday.

The External Affairs Minister, S Jaishankar hailed the recent LAC agreement as a positive outcome of “patient and persistent diplomacy.” 

“… At various points of time people almost gave up. We have always maintained on the one hand we obviously had to do counter deployment, and we have been negotiating since September 2020. It has been a very patient process, though more complicated than how it should have been,” Mr. Jaishankar said at the NDTV World Summit.

“The important thing is if we have reached an understanding, I think what it does is it creates a basis for peace and tranquility along the border, which were there before 2020. That was a major concern. If there is no peace and tranquility, how can other areas of bilateral ties improve?” Mr. Jaishankar said.

With both PM Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping attending the BRICS Summit in Russia a day after India and China had a breakthrough in talks over the standoff along the Line of Actual Control, it is to be seen if both leaders will meet or hold talks on the sidelines of the summit. Neither side has confirmed a meeting yet.

MEDIATING PEACE BETWEEN RUSSIA AND UKRAINE

In his opening statement during his meeting with Vladimir Putin, PM Modi said he wanted the Ukraine conflict to be resolved “peacefully and quickly”.

The two leaders shook hands and followed that up with a hug when they met for talks on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit. At the meeting PM Modi said, “We have been in constant touch over the conflict between Russia and Ukraine.”

“We believe that disputes should only be resolved peacefully. We totally support efforts to quickly restore peace and stability,” PM Modi added.

New Delhi has walked a diplomatic tightrope since the Ukraine conflict began, pledging humanitarian support for Kyiv while avoiding explicit condemnation of Russia’s offensive.

In his opening remarks, President Putin hailed Russia and India’s “privileged strategic partnership” and vowed to build ties further. 

PM Modi visited Kyiv in August and Moscow in July in an effort to encourage talks, as India cast itself as a potential mediator. In both countries he was welcomed with a warm embrace. Both Putin and Zelensky have remained in close contact with PM Modi over the duration of the Ukraine conflict – as India has a unique position maintaining friendly relations with both nations.

After his visit to Kyiv, Prime Minister Modi reportedly sent National Security Adviser Ajit Doval to Moscow with a “peace plan”, which was reportedly handed over to President Putin when Mr Doval had a meeting with him.

During his meeting with President Zelenskyy, Prime Minister Modi reiterated his commitment to peace and sustainable development. He emphasised that without peace, long-term progress is impossible. While the outcome of the war remains uncertain, India continues to advocate for a peaceful resolution,” said Mr. Misri.

India’s initiative to broker peace between Russia and Ukraine has been praised by US President Joe Biden and several European leaders too. President Biden had also praised India’s prominent global role, including Prime Minister Modi’s leadership in the G20 and Global South, as well as his efforts to strengthen the Quad, ensuring a free, open, and prosperous Indo-Pacific.

AGENDA FOR THE 16th BRICS SUMMIT

Apart from leaders of the 5 founding member states, some two dozen other leaders are also attending the summit, including Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres.

The main issues on the agenda include Vladimir Putin’s idea for a BRICS-led payment system to rival SWIFT, an international financial network that Russian banks were cut off from in 2022, and the escalating conflict in the Middle East.

Kazan, Russia:

Prime Minister Narendra Modi today began his two-day official visit to Russia, his second in three months, to attend the BRICS Summit. The prime minister will attend the summit in Russia’s Kazan with Russia’s Putin, China’s Xi Jinping, Brazil’s Lula da Silva, and South Africa’s Cyril Ramaphosa.

Besides the key international forum, the prime minister’s visit assumes significance on two accounts – the role India is playing to broker peace between Russia and Ukraine, and the breakthrough in talks with China over the situation along the Line of Actual Control in Ladakh.

Ahead of the BRICS summit, PM Modi emphasised the importance of close cooperation by member states. Upon his arrival in Kazan, the prime minister wrote in a post on X saying “This is an important summit, and the discussions here will contribute to a better planet.”

WILL PM MODI AND XI JINPING MEET IN RUSSIA?

India and China have established a patrolling mechanism along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), marking a potential step towards easing tensions that escalated in May 2020,” Vikram Misri, India’s Foreign Secretary announced yesterday.

The External Affairs Minister, S Jaishankar hailed the recent LAC agreement as a positive outcome of “patient and persistent diplomacy.” 

“… At various points of time people almost gave up. We have always maintained on the one hand we obviously had to do counter deployment, and we have been negotiating since September 2020. It has been a very patient process, though more complicated than how it should have been,” Mr. Jaishankar said at the NDTV World Summit.

“The important thing is if we have reached an understanding, I think what it does is it creates a basis for peace and tranquility along the border, which were there before 2020. That was a major concern. If there is no peace and tranquility, how can other areas of bilateral ties improve?” Mr. Jaishankar said.

With both PM Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping attending the BRICS Summit in Russia a day after India and China had a breakthrough in talks over the standoff along the Line of Actual Control, it is to be seen if both leaders will meet or hold talks on the sidelines of the summit. Neither side has confirmed a meeting yet.

MEDIATING PEACE BETWEEN RUSSIA AND UKRAINE

In his opening statement during his meeting with Vladimir Putin, PM Modi said he wanted the Ukraine conflict to be resolved “peacefully and quickly”.

The two leaders shook hands and followed that up with a hug when they met for talks on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit. At the meeting PM Modi said, “We have been in constant touch over the conflict between Russia and Ukraine.”

“We believe that disputes should only be resolved peacefully. We totally support efforts to quickly restore peace and stability,” PM Modi added.

New Delhi has walked a diplomatic tightrope since the Ukraine conflict began, pledging humanitarian support for Kyiv while avoiding explicit condemnation of Russia’s offensive.

In his opening remarks, President Putin hailed Russia and India’s “privileged strategic partnership” and vowed to build ties further. 

PM Modi visited Kyiv in August and Moscow in July in an effort to encourage talks, as India cast itself as a potential mediator. In both countries he was welcomed with a warm embrace. Both Putin and Zelensky have remained in close contact with PM Modi over the duration of the Ukraine conflict – as India has a unique position maintaining friendly relations with both nations.

After his visit to Kyiv, Prime Minister Modi reportedly sent National Security Adviser Ajit Doval to Moscow with a “peace plan”, which was reportedly handed over to President Putin when Mr Doval had a meeting with him.

During his meeting with President Zelenskyy, Prime Minister Modi reiterated his commitment to peace and sustainable development. He emphasised that without peace, long-term progress is impossible. While the outcome of the war remains uncertain, India continues to advocate for a peaceful resolution,” said Mr. Misri.

India’s initiative to broker peace between Russia and Ukraine has been praised by US President Joe Biden and several European leaders too. President Biden had also praised India’s prominent global role, including Prime Minister Modi’s leadership in the G20 and Global South, as well as his efforts to strengthen the Quad, ensuring a free, open, and prosperous Indo-Pacific.

AGENDA FOR THE 16th BRICS SUMMIT

Apart from leaders of the 5 founding member states, some two dozen other leaders are also attending the summit, including Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres.

The main issues on the agenda include Vladimir Putin’s idea for a BRICS-led payment system to rival SWIFT, an international financial network that Russian banks were cut off from in 2022, and the escalating conflict in the Middle East.

Russian President Vladimir Putin will be meeting this week with China’s Xi Jinping, India’s Narendra Modi, Turkey’s Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Iran’s Masoud Pezeshkian, defying predictions that the war in Ukraine and an international arrest warrant would turn Mr. Putin into a pariah.

They will all be in the Russian city of Kazan on Tuesday for a meeting of the BRICS bloc of developing economies.

The alliance, which aims to counterbalance the Western-led world order, initially included Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa but is expanding rapidly. Iran, Egypt, Ethiopia, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia joined in January; Turkey, Azerbaijan and Malaysia formally applied, and a number of others expressed a desire to be members.

Russian officials already see the meeting as a massive success. Putin’s foreign policy aide Yuri Ushakov said 36 countries confirmed participation, and more than 20 will send heads of state. Mr. Putin will hold around 20 bilateral meetings, Mr. Ushakov said, and the summit could turn into “the largest foreign policy event ever held” on Russian soil.

– AFP