PM Modi Calls for ‘Three Mutuals’ in Meeting with Xi Jinping, Stresses Importance of Trust and Stability

Feature and Cover PM Modi Calls for 'Three Mutuals' in Meeting with Xi Jinping Stresses Importance of Trust and Stability

Prime Minister Narendra Modi highlighted the need for India-China relations to be based on three key principles: mutual trust, mutual respect, and mutual sensitivity, during a significant meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping. This meeting, held on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit in Kazan, Russia, marks the first delegation-level engagement between the two countries in nearly five years.

During the conversation, Modi expressed optimism about the future of India-China relations, provided that these three mutuals are respected. “We welcome the consensus reached on issues that have arisen across the border in the last four years. Maintaining peace and stability on the border should remain our top priority. Mutual trust, mutual respect, and mutual sensitivity form the basis of our relations,” he stated.

Modi’s comments underscored the importance of maintaining peaceful relations between India and China, not just for the sake of the two nations but also for broader global stability and progress. Xi Jinping echoed these sentiments, acknowledging the significance of the meeting for both countries and the global community. “China and India are both ancient civilizations, major developing countries, and important members of the Global South. We are both at a crucial phase in our respective modernization endeavours. It best serves the fundamental interests of our two countries and two peoples for both sides to keep the trend of history in the right direction of our bilateral relations,” Xi said.

He further stressed the importance of increasing communication and cooperation between India and China. According to Xi, “It’s important for both sides to have more communication and cooperation, properly handle our differences and disagreements and to facilitate each other’s pursuit of development aspirations.” He also emphasized the need for both nations to take responsibility on the international stage, particularly in representing the interests of developing countries. “It’s also important for both sides to shoulder our international responsibility, set an example for boosting the strength and unity of the developing countries and to contribute to promoting multipolarization and democracy in international relations,” Xi added.

This meeting represents a crucial step forward after the tensions that erupted between India and China in 2020, following the deadly clash in the Galwan Valley, along the Line of Actual Control (LAC). The confrontation led to a significant downturn in bilateral relations, particularly concerning military and border security issues.

However, the recent breakthrough in talks was facilitated by both countries’ diplomatic and military negotiators, who had been working closely over the past several weeks. According to Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, both sides had maintained regular contact through various forums, which eventually led to an agreement on patrolling the LAC. This agreement aims to resolve the ongoing issues and de-escalate the confrontation along the 3500-km-long border.

Misri confirmed the breakthrough, stating, “The Indian and Chinese diplomatic and military negotiators have been in close contact with each other in a variety of forums over the last several weeks after which an agreement was arrived at on patrolling arrangements along the LAC, leading to disengagement and a resolution of the issues that had arisen in the specific areas in 2020.”

Further confirmation came from the Chinese government on Tuesday, when the Chinese Foreign Ministry acknowledged the new patrolling arrangements along the India-China border. This confirmation coincided with Xi Jinping’s departure for the BRICS Summit in Kazan.

Tensions had been particularly high due to Chinese attempts to transgress the LAC in other parts of the Western Sector. Both countries had been discussing these incursions through established diplomatic and military channels, aiming to find a peaceful resolution to the situation.

On Monday, India’s External Affairs Minister, S. Jaishankar, expressed cautious optimism about the new agreement, noting that it lays the groundwork for restoring peace along the border. Jaishankar also emphasized that restoring the status quo before 2020 had been a central concern for India in terms of normalizing relations with China. He remarked that the agreement was a step in the right direction toward achieving that goal.

“The latest agreement creates the basis for peace and tranquillity which should be there in the border areas and existed before 2020 – something which had been India’s major concern over the past few years for the bilateral relationship to turn normal,” Jaishankar said.

He further reflected on the patience required to reach this point. “At various points of time, people almost gave up. We have always maintained that on the one hand, we had to obviously do the counter deployments… But, side by side, we have been negotiating since September 2020 when I met my Chinese counterpart Wang Yi in Moscow. It has been a very patient process, maybe more complicated than what it could and should have been,” Jaishankar noted.

The agreement on patrolling arrangements at the LAC, he said, represents a significant achievement after years of delicate negotiations. “The fact is that if we are able to, as we now have, reach an understanding regarding patrolling and observing the sanctity of the LAC, then, I think, it creates the basis for peace and tranquillity which there should be in border areas and existed there before 2020,” Jaishankar explained.

The meeting between Modi and Xi in Kazan signifies a notable shift in the trajectory of India-China relations, especially considering the contentious history between the two nations in recent years. Both leaders appeared committed to pursuing a more constructive and peaceful relationship, with a focus on mutual trust, cooperation, and respect for each other’s aspirations.

This renewed commitment from both sides offers hope for a more stable and peaceful future along the India-China border, which has been a source of significant tension since the Galwan Valley clash. As Modi and Xi agreed, maintaining peace and stability on the border remains a priority, and the success of this agreement could pave the way for further positive developments in the bilateral relationship.

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