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Transcript of Special Briefing on Prime Minister's Visit to Russia (October 23, 2024)

India - Ministry of External Affairs

October 23, 2024

Shri Randhir Jaiswal, Official Spokesperson: Good afternoon friends. I welcome you to this Special Briefing by Foreign Secretary, Shri Vikram Misri on the developments of the day involving Prime Minister's engagement in the 16th BRICS Summit. We are also joined on dais by Shri Dammu Ravi, who is Secretary (Economic Relations) and also Sherpa for BRICS for India. We also have Ambassador of India to Russia, Ambassador Vinay Kumar, joining us on the dais; as also Shri Abhishek Singh, who looks after Multilateral Economic Relations in the Ministry of External Affairs. I would also like to tell of you that the language for this briefing is only English and Hindi, so please bear with us. With that, I invite the Foreign Secretary to make his remarks. Over to you, sir.

Shri Vikram Misri, Foreign Secretary: Thank you, Randhir. Good afternoon friends. I have the opportunity to brief you on the Prime Minister's main bilateral engagement today on the sidelines of the 16th BRICS Summit. My colleague, Secretary (Economic Relations) in the Ministry of External Affairs, Mr. Dammu Ravi, who is also our Sherpa for BRICS, will make some comments with regard to the BRICS engagements.

But let me say a few words about the Prime Minister's meeting with His Excellency President Xi Jinping, the President of the People's Republic of China. We have also put out a Press Release which should be available very shortly on the website of the Ministry of External Affairs, if it is not there already. So as you all know, earlier today, in fact just a short while ago, Prime Minister Modi met with President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the 16th BRICS Summit. This was their first proper bilateral meeting at delegation level in nearly five years, the last one being on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit in Brasilia in 2019. So let me just flag some points made by the two leaders during their meeting.

This meeting happened, as you are all aware, close on the heels of the disengagement and patrolling agreement and the resolution of issues that had arisen in the India-China border areas in 2020. Naturally, the two leaders welcomed the agreement reached between the two sides through sustained dialogue over the last several weeks in diplomatic as well as military channels. Prime Minister Modi underscored the importance of not allowing differences on boundary-related matters to disturb peace and tranquility on our borders.

And in this context, the two leaders noted that the Special Representatives on the India-China boundary question have a critical role to play in the resolution of the boundary question and for the maintenance of peace and tranquility in the border areas. Accordingly, they instructed the Special Representatives to meet at an early date and to continue their efforts in this regard. You may recall that Special Representative of India Mr. Ajit Doval, who is also the National Security Advisor and the Special Representative of the People's Republic of China, Foreign Minister Wang Yi, also a member of the Politburo, have met on the sidelines of international events, but they have not had a round of talks in the Special Representative's format since December 2019. So, following today's meeting, we hope to schedule the next round of the SR's talks at an appropriate date.

The two leaders also reviewed the state of bilateral relations from a strategic and long-term perspective. They were of the view that stable bilateral relations between India and China, the two largest nations on Earth, will have a positive impact on regional and global peace and prosperity. And 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 during the last four years, the restoration of peace and tranquility in the border areas will create space for returning us towards the path of normalization of our bilateral relations. Officials will now take the next steps to discuss enhancing strategic communication and stabilizing bilateral relations by utilizing the relevant official bilateral dialogue mechanisms, including at the level of our respective Foreign Ministers.

The two leaders also briefly reviewed regional and international developments of mutual concern and interest. They agreed to maintain close communication in this regard. Naturally, they also had a very productive exchange on BRICS, and the potential for India and China to enhance cooperation on this particular platform. And in closing, Prime Minister Modi also assured India's full support to China's SCO Presidency next year in 2025.

Let me stop there and request my colleague, our Sherpa for BRICS, to make a few remarks. Thank you.

Shri Dammu Ravi, Secretary (ER): Good afternoon, friends. I'll be very brief in the interest of time. Let me just focus on the Honorable Prime Minister's visit to Kazan for the 16th BRICS Summit, which was at the invitation of President Putin. The theme of the BRICS Summit here, as you all know, that's 'Strengthening Multilateralism for Just Global Development and Security'.

Today, there have been two sessions in which Prime Minister participated. One is a Closed Plenary Session, and the second one is Open Plenary Session. Open plenary Session included also representatives of businesses of all the member countries as well as the financial institution representatives in the Open Session.

At the end of the open session, the leaders adopted the Kazan Declaration, and the declaration captures the various elements and diverse elements discussed by the leaders during these Sessions. It recognizes the reform for the UN and multilateral institutions. In particular, it recognizes the Johannesburg Declaration and reaffirms the support for member countries' aspiration to be permanent members of the UN Security Council. Cooperation in the financial sector was another element. It also included elements like payment settlements and national currencies. And climate change was another area of interest for all the leaders. There were a lot of views expressed, and also combating terrorism.

Prime Minister, in his remarks, clearly brought out the importance of people-centric BRICS cooperation. That was his emphasis. And the fact that the leaders have agreed to finalize list of partner countries in the expanded BRICS membership, it was welcomed. The modalities have also been finalized. So with the expansion of the BRICS, as you all know that this is the first time that BRICS in expanded format are meeting, the nine members currently which have met this time. So you will have additional partner countries. The list will be out in the net. So what it means to us is also inclusivity, diversity in the BRICS, and brings in the dimension of the Global South right in the center of the BRICS discussion and discourse. So development becomes central.

Prime Minister's remarks included the importance of Global South. He also mentioned about India's initiatives that have been appreciated within BRICS. For example, the startup forum, the skilled workforce, the research and development vaccine center, digital health, and the digital public infrastructure solutions, which are low-cost solutions for the interests of the countries of the Global South. He also touched upon India's own initiatives, for example, the International Solar Alliance, the Coalition for Disaster Resilience Infrastructure, and the Lifestyle for Environment. He urged the members of the BRICS to actually participate in these initiatives.

As you know, Brazil is going to take over the Chairship next year. Prime Minister wished the Brazilian President Lula all the very best for the success of the Brazilian Chairship, and India will fully support in that process. Thank you very much.

Gaurav: Sir, my name is Gaurav Sawant, I work for India Today and Aaj Tak. Sir, my question is how will this meeting and will this meeting lead to easing of situation along the LAC? Is there need for new confidence building measures, will there be new confidence building measures, and will soldiers spend the fifth year at the LAC in these freezing winters, the additional 50,000-odd troops on either side?

Vishal: Sir main Vishal Pandey hoon ABP News se. Mera sawal ye hai ki aaj Pradhan Mantri Modi aur Xi Jinping ki mulakat ke baad kya ye kaha ja sakta hai ki Bharat aur China ke beech rishtey ab samanya ho gaye hain, aur isi se juda hua ki kya China par bharosa kiya ja sakta hai?

[Question in Hindi: Approximate translation] Sir, I am Vishal Pandey from ABP News. My question is whether it can be said, after today's meeting between Prime Minister Modi and Xi Jinping, that relations between India and China have now normalized? And related to this, can China be trusted?

Shri Vikram Misri, Foreign Secretary: Gaurav, insofar as your question is concerned, 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 Prime Minister Modi and President Xi Jinping welcomed the efforts that were 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.

Insofar as your question related to confidence building measures is concerned, we have a number of confidence building measures and 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.

Your last question about whether soldiers will be at the LAC for the fifth year, I would defer this question to our military leadership because this relates to operational matters and I think it would be best that we let our military leaders dwell on this particular issue.

Vishal aapka jo sawal tha, kya hamare jo rishtey hain woh samanya ki taraf ya samanya ho jayenge, main itna hi keh sakta hoon ki pichhle do din mei jo kadam humne uthaye hain, aur ye kadam pichhle do din se hamare samne hain, lekin inpe jo kaam hua hai woh kafi samay se kaam chal raha hai. Main ye kahunga ki inse hamari ek tarah jo prakriya hai samanya rishte banane ke liye, unko wapas ek samanya raste pa lane ke liye woh yatra ek tarah se chal padi hai. Jo main pahle kah raha tha ki jo ye restoration of peace and tranquility in border areas will create space for returning towards the path of normalization, mera tatparya isi chiz ki taraf tha ki jo pichhe abhi samjhauta hua hai usse ye rasta ab khul gaya hai, raste ab chalne ki ab hum donon ko aavshyakta hai. Aur jahan tak trust ka sawal hai, jo hum donon ke bich aage chal ke process hoga, pratikriya hogi, hamari aasha hai ki usse trust badhega hum donon ke bich. Thank you.

[Answer in Hindi: Approximate translation] Vishal, regarding your question on whether our relations are normal or moving towards normalcy, I can only say that the steps we have taken in the last two days, have been in the works for quite some time. I would say that these steps have set the process in motion for bringing our relations back to a normal path. As I mentioned earlier, restoration of peace and tranquility in the border areas will create space for returning towards the path of normalization, what I meant by that is, with the recent agreements, the path has now opened, and it is necessary for both of us to continue on this path. As far as the question of trust is concerned, through the processes and actions between both sides, we hope that trust will increase between us. Thank you.

Sidhant: Sir Sidhant from WION. Foreign Secretary Sir, my question is, the border pact, does it include Depsang and Demchok as well in terms of resolution? Also in terms of confidence building measure, are we looking at the resumption of the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra? To the Sherpa sir, how much of the focus was on the payments mechanism in terms of alternate payments mechanism at the BRICS meeting?

Runjhun: Runjhun Sharma, RT, the timing of the India-China agreement, does it seem symbolic? Did Russia have a role to play here as a peacemaker?

Shri Vikram Misri, Foreign Secretary: Okay, Sidhant, in so far as these two points that you mentioned, Depsang and Demchok, look I think if you see the statements that I have made over the last 48 to 72 hours, I think the answer should be quite clear. I have made the point that the last time we had an agreement on the several issues that had arisen in the India-China border areas since 2020, the last agreement was in 2022, I think September, if I am not mistaken. Since then, we had been involved in trying to find a resolution of the pending issues in the balance areas along the Line of Actual Control, which pertain to these areas that you have mentioned. And the agreement that has been arrived at essentially pertains to these areas.

In so far as confidence-building measures are concerned and whether Kailash Mansarovar Yatra will be included in that, as I said, today the leaders have given instructions for various official and other bilateral mechanisms between the two countries to be activated. I am sure this will be one of the issues that will be on the agenda of those discussions between the leaders.

Runjhun, your question of the timing and the symbolism and the role, all I would say at this stage is that we are in Kazan, we are in Russia, and I think we can certainly thank Russia for providing the venue. Thank you.

Shri Dammu Ravi, Secretary (ER): So on the payment issue, I think we need to keep in mind that the global economic situation and the debt crisis that many countries are facing, keeping that in view, many leaders have expressed interest in both settlement of trade in national currencies and payment mechanisms. Again, our Prime Minister himself also said positively and constructively that we need to engage on that. We have a mechanism with few countries, and India has led the way in the fintech world. There has been a lot of interest in that space as well. But this is a very specific area where the Ministry of Finance, in particular the Department of Economic Affairs, is leading. They need to have a more expert level interaction effort to concretize this activity among the BRICS countries. But I think in the year to come, that might happen. Thank you

Shri Randhir Jaiswal, Official Spokesperson: With that, ladies and gentlemen, we come to the close of this Session. Thank you very much for your participation.