Breakdown of the Meeting between Narendra Modi and Xi Jinping

Hi folks,

The main BRICS summit concluded earlier today in Kazan, Russia. I’ll be coveringXi Jinping’s engagement and the Kazan declaration in tomorrow’s newsletter breaking down the People’s Daily.

Today, I am doing a special brief detailing Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s meeting with Xi Jinping in Kazan.

My quick takeaway is that this meeting seems to have yielded positive outcomes.

• This is the first step on a long road to re-engaging, building trust and potential normalisation. A lot has to happen still; and a lot can impede this process still.

• In terms of the key developments, there is an agreement between the two sides to begin all-round dialogue, which is welcome.

• Xi Jinping’s formulation of referring to India as a major country is noteworthy, particularly given the hierarchy of countries in Chinese official discourse. India generally tends to fall within the peripheral diplomacy category.

• More important, however, is his comment that “development is currently the ‘greatest common denominator’ between China and India”. It is, of course, terribly early but this is a good sign. It provides a frame for arriving at some sort of a new balance in ties.

• Also positive is that there will be a meeting of the Special Representatives on the India-China boundary question sometime soon.

• The Indian side in its briefing has suggested that it expects further talks to deal with the issue of further easing in Eastern Ladakh, including de-escalation. But this doesn’t seem to have been a part of the conversation, thus far.

• That said, there is a curious line in the Chinese readout that: Modi put forward ideas and suggestions on improving and developing bilateral relations, and Xi Jinping agreed in principle. One wonders what these were.

Anyway, let’s look at the readouts below:

The Chinese readout after the meeting said:

Xi Jinping pointed out that China and India are both ancient civilizations, major developing countries, and important members of the Global South. They are also both in a critical period of modernization in their respective countries. It is in the fundamental interests of the two countries and their peoples for China and India to correctly grasp the historical trend and the direction of development of bilateral relations. The two sides should strengthen communication and cooperation, enhance strategic mutual trust, and facilitate each other’s pursuit of their development aspirations. Both sides should also shoulder international responsibilities, set an example of unity and self-reliance for the vast number of developing countries, and contribute to promoting world multipolarization and the democratization of international relations. 习近平指出，中国和印度同为文明古国、发展中大国、全球南方重要成员，都处在各自国家现代化建设的关键时期。中印正确把握历史潮流和两国关系发展方向，符合两国和两国人民根本利益。双方应该加强沟通合作，增进战略互信，相互成就彼此发展梦想。双方也要肩负起国际责任，为广大发展中国家联合自强作出表率，为推动世界多极化、国际关系民主化作出贡献.

Xi Jinping emphasised that the essence of China-India relations is how two neighbouring developing major countries, each with over 1.4 billion people, should get along with each other. Development is currently the ‘greatest common denominator’ between China and India. Both sides should continue to uphold important consensuses that India and China are ‘development opportunities for each other, and do not constitute threats to each other’ (互为发展机遇、互不构成威胁) and are ‘cooperative partners rather than competitors/rivals (是合作伙伴而非竞争对手), and adhere to the correct strategic understanding, and and jointly seek the bright path of peaceful coexistence and common development between neighbouring major countries. 习近平强调，中印关系本质是两个14亿多人口的相邻发展中大国如何相处的问题。发展是中印两国当前最大的“公约数”。双方应该继续坚持中印“互为发展机遇、互不构成威胁”、“是合作伙伴而非竞争对手”等重要共识，坚持正确战略认知，共谋相邻大国和睦相处、共同发展的光明正道.

As per the Chinese readout, Modi said that under the current international situation, “India-China cooperation is conducive to promoting economic recovery and world multipolarization.” He added that “India is willing to strengthen strategic communication with China, enhance strategic mutual trust, and expand mutually beneficial cooperation. India is willing to fully support China’s work as the rotating presidency of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and strengthen communication and cooperation within multilateral frameworks such as BRICS.” 莫迪表示，印中关系保持稳定发展对两国和两国人民至关重要，事关28亿人民的福祉和未来，对地区乃至世界和平与稳定也十分重要。在当前复杂国际形势下，作为两大古老文明和两大经济引擎，印中合作有利于促进经济复苏和世界多极化。印方愿同中方加强战略沟通，增进战略互信，拓展互利合作。印方愿全力支持中方担任上海合作组织轮值主席国工作，并在金砖等多边框架内加强沟通合作.

The two leaders positively evaluated the significant progress made recently through intensive communication between both sides in resolving issues related to the border areas. Modi put forward ideas and suggestions on improving and developing bilateral relations, and Xi Jinping agreed in principle.” 两位领导人积极评价近期双方通过密集沟通就解决边境地区有关问题取得重要进展。莫迪就改善和发展两国关系提出设想和建议，习近平对此表示原则赞同.

“The two sides agreed to give full play to the role of the meeting mechanism of the special representatives of the two countries on border issues, jointly maintain peace and tranquillity in the border areas, and seek fair and reasonable solutions. The two sides agreed that the foreign ministers and officials at all levels of the two countries should conduct dialogues to push the bilateral relations back on the track of stable development as soon as possible. The two sides agreed to strengthen communication and cooperation at multilateral forums to safeguard the common interests of developing countries. The two sides believed that this meeting was constructive and of great significance, and agreed to view and handle China-India relations from a strategic height and long-term perspective, not to let specific differences affect the overall situation of bilateral relations, and make positive contributions to regional and world peace and prosperity and advance world multipolarization.” 双方同意，发挥好两国边界问题特别代表会晤机制作用，共同维护好边境地区和平安宁，寻求公平合理的解决方案。双方同意，两国外长和各层级官员开展对话，推动两国关系早日重回稳定发展轨道。双方同意，在多边场合加强沟通和合作，维护发展中国家共同利益。双方认为，本次会晤具有建设性和重要意义，同意从战略高度和长远角度看待和处理中印关系，不让具体分歧影响两国关系大局，为地区和世界和平与繁荣、推进世界多极化作出积极贡献.

The Indian readout after the meeting says:

“Welcoming the recent agreement for complete disengagement and resolution of issues that arose in 2020 in the India-China border areas, Prime Minister Modi underscored the importance of properly handling differences and disputes and not allowing them to disturb peace and tranquility. The two leaders agreed that the Special Representatives on the India-China boundary question will meet at an early date to oversee the management of peace & tranquility in border areas and to explore a fair, reasonable and mutually acceptable solution to the boundary question. The relevant dialogue mechanisms at the level of Foreign Ministers and other officials will also be utilized to stabilize and rebuild bilateral relations. The two leaders affirmed that stable, predictable, and amicable bilateral relations between India and China, as two neighbors and the two largest nations on earth, will have a positive impact on regional and global peace and prosperity. It will also contribute to a multi-polar Asia and a multi-polar world. The leaders underlined the need to progress bilateral relations from a strategic and long-term perspective, enhance strategic communication and explore cooperation to address developmental challenges.”

India’s Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri made the following points at the MEA’s press briefing after the meeting.

• The two leaders welcomed the agreement reached by the two sides on the border issue. “Prime Minister Modi underscored the importance of not allowing differences on boundary related matters to disturb peace and tranquility on our borders,” said Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri. The two leaders “instructed the Special Representatives to meet at an early date.”

• “Both of them stressed that with maturity and wisdom and by showing mutual respect for each other’s sensitivities, interests, concerns and aspirations, the two countries can have a peaceful, stable and beneficial bilateral relationship”.

• “As we have maintained over the last four years, the restoration of peace and tranquility in the border areas will create space in returning us towards the path of normalisation of bilateral relations. Officials will now take the next steps to discuss enhancing strategic communication and stabilising bilateral relations by utilising the relevant official bilateral dialogue mechanisms, including at the level of our respective foreign ministers.”

• They had a “very productive exchange” on BRICS. Misri added that Modi expressed “full support” for China’s SCO presidency.

• In responding to questions about the impact of the meeting on the LAC and on confidence-building measures (CBMs): Misri said that: “it is certainly our expectation that as a result of not only the agreement that was arrived at just a couple of days ago between Indian and Chinese diplomatic and military negotiators but also as a result of the endorsement of that agreement at the highest leader level possible between the two countries as happened in the meeting today where both PM Modi and President Xi Jinping welcomed the efforts made by Indian and Chinese negotiators and the results that were achieved by that, I think these should certainly lead to an easing of the situation along the LAC.”

• On CBMs, he said that “these evolve continuously”. As the two sides engage once again in multiple formats, this is certainly a subject that I think will be under discussion between the two sides.”

• On the question of whether soldiers will continue to be deployed along the LAC, he deferred the question to military leaders.

• On the question of normalisation, he said that we have embarked on the path of normalisation (in Hindi, he said: ek yatra ek tarah se chal padi hai). He added that the agreement between the two sides has opened a pathway, but both need to walk on that path now (in Hindi: yeh rasta khul gaya hai; raste par chalne ki ab hum dono ko aawashakta hai). He added that on trust, what ever process we follow going forward, we hope that it will boost trust between the two sides.

• On the question of whether the border agreement covers Depsang and Demchok, Misri said that the answer is within is statements issued over the past few days. In essence, he confirmed that Depsang and Demchok were the only issues that the current agreement covers. The agreement that was arrived at, he said, “essentially pertains to these areas.” If you are interested, this is what he had said yesterday when asked a similar question: “Well, what it will entail is that in the pending areas under discussion, patrolling and indeed grazing activities, wherever applicable, will revert to the situation as it obtained in 2020. Incidentally, I should say that this is also what the External Affairs Minister was talking about yesterday when he was speaking at the NDTV World Summit, I think. And as to the other part of your question, what the, as far as the disengagement agreements reached previously are concerned, those agreements were not reopened in these discussions. The agreement that was reached yesterday, very early yesterday morning, was focused on issues that had remained outstanding in the last couple of years. So that is what I would say at this point in time.”

• On the question of whether Russia played a role as peacemaker between India and China, he said: “We are in Kazan; we are in Russia. I think we can certainly thank Russia for providing the venue.”

You can watch the full briefing below. It’s an 18-minute video, which is in loop. So don’t get freaked out with the hour+ duration when you click :)