Just hours after China confirmed it had “reached a solution” and would “work with India” to “effectively implement” the plan—without explicitly referencing the agreement on patrolling along the Line of Actual Control—India announced that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping will hold a bilateral meeting on Wednesday. This significant meeting will occur on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit in Kazan, the capital of Tatarstan, Russia.

This meeting will be the first formal bilateral discussion between the two leaders in five years. Their last informal summit occurred in Mahabalipuram in October 2019, just months before the Chinese incursions in eastern Ladakh, which ignited a military standoff along the LAC. While they did have brief pull-aside meetings in Bali in 2022 and Johannesburg in 2023, Wednesday’s meeting will mark the first structured dialogue between them since the tensions escalated.

Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri confirmed the bilateral meeting during a media briefing in Kazan, stating, “I can confirm that there will be a bilateral meeting between Prime Minister Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping tomorrow on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit.” Regarding the patrolling arrangement, Misri explained that in the areas still under discussion, patrolling and grazing activities would revert to the situation as it was in 2020. He emphasized that prior disengagement agreements were not revisited during these discussions and that yesterday’s agreement focused on outstanding issues from recent years.

Earlier in the day, a spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry indicated that “the two sides have reached a solution on the relevant matters, which China views positively,” but refrained from detailing the patrolling arrangement. During the media briefing in Beijing, spokesperson Lin Jian stated that China and India have maintained close communication regarding border issues through diplomatic and military channels and confirmed that both countries are committed to implementing the agreed-upon solution.

The state-run Global Times further reported that the Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson acknowledged progress in discussions, stating, “Currently, the two sides have reached a solution on the relevant matters, which China views positively. In the next phase, China will work with India to effectively implement the solution plan,” highlighting the intention to foster improved relations moving forward.

The timing of this meeting is critical, as it underscores the importance of diplomatic dialogue in addressing long-standing tensions between the two nations and signals a potential thaw in relations following years of border disputes and military standoffs. As both countries work to stabilize their interactions, the upcoming bilateral meeting will be closely watched for its implications on regional security and cooperation.