Chinese Side Requested A Meeting: India Refutes Beijing's Claim On Modi-Xi Meet On Sidelines Of BRICS Summit

Indian government officials have reportedly contradicted China's claim that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the BRICS meeting in South Africa was at India's request.

Instead, they have reportedly stated that there was actually a "pending request from the Chinese side."

"There was a pending request from the Chinese side for a bilateral meeting," government sources were quoted as saying by NDTV.

During the BRICS Summit in Johannesburg, the two leaders, according to the sources, had an "informal conversation" at the Leaders Lounge.

The Chinese foreign ministry previously stated that President Xi Jinping had spoken with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the BRICS summit "at the latter's request on August 23".

The leaders in the meeting have agreed to work for "expeditious de-escalation" along the entire Line of Actual Control (LAC), which has been a source of tension since the clash in Galwan Valley in June 2020.

They have also agreed to instruct officials in their respective countries to work on a swift disengagement along the LAC.

According to foreign secretary Vinay Kwatra, PM Modi and President Xi met on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit.

"In the conversation with President Xi Jinping, the Prime Minister highlighted India's concerns over unresolved issues along the LAC and other areas along the India-China border," Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra told reporters on Thursday (24 August).

The two leaders "candid and in-depth exchange of views on current China-India relations and other questions of shared interest", according to a Chinese readout.

According to the Chinese statement, President Xi emphasised that "improving China-India relations serves common interests of the two countries and peoples, and is also conducive to peace, stability and development of the world and the region".

"The two sides should bear in mind the overall interests of their bilateral relations and handle properly the border issue so as to jointly safeguard peace and tranquillity in the border region," the Chinese foreign ministry said, quoting Xi.