Chinese President Xi Jinping and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi met on October 23, 2024, on the sidelines of the BRICS summit in Kazan, Russia, to discuss improving communication and cooperation between their countries. This meeting marked their first formal talks in five years, indicating a recovery in relations that had been strained by a military clash in 2020.
The meeting followed New Delhi’s announcement of a deal with Beijing to resolve a four-year military standoff in the Himalayan region of Ladakh. Xi emphasized the need for the two sides to “strengthen communication and cooperation, resolve conflicts and differences, and realize each other’s development dreams,” according to Chinese state broadcaster CCTV.
In response, Modi asserted the importance of maintaining peace and stability along the frontier. He stated, “We welcome the agreement on the issues that had come up over the last four years.” Modi added, “It should be our priority to maintain peace and tranquility on the border. Mutual trust, mutual respect, and mutual sensitivity should be the basis of our relationship.”
Relations between the two countries have been tense since a 2020 clash on their largely undemarcated Himalayan border, which resulted in the deaths of 20 Indian and four Chinese soldiers. In the aftermath, both nations significantly increased their military presence along the frontier.
Since their last formal bilateral talks in October 2019 in Mamallapuram, Modi and Xi have only engaged in brief exchanges at multilateral events. Notably, they spoke at the G20 summit in Bali in November 2022 and at the BRICS summit in Johannesburg in August 2023, where their differing accounts suggested ongoing tensions.
Despite these challenges, recent diplomatic efforts have gained traction. Following meetings between foreign ministers in July, there is renewed hope for easing border tensions. Wednesday’s discussions are anticipated to pave the way for increased Chinese investment in India, as New Delhi seeks to improve its political and business relations contingent on resolving border issues. Since the 2020 clashes, India has scrutinized investments from China, blocked direct flights, and limited visa issuance to Chinese nationals.
