China’s Xi and India’s Modi meet after border accord between two countries

Narendra Modi and Xi Jinping hold talks on the sidelines of the BRICS summit in the Russian city of Kazan.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping have held their first formal talks in five years, a sign that icy relations are thawing after a deadly military clash in 2020.

The two leaders met on Wednesday on the sidelines of the BRICS summit in the Russian city of Kazan, the Indian government and Chinese state media said.

The meeting comes days after the two countries agreed a deal to resolve a four-year military standoff on their disputed Himalayan border.

Xi and Modi shook hands against a backdrop featuring their national flags, and both stressed the importance of handling their disputes.

The Chinese leader said the two countries were at a crucial stage of development and “should carefully handle differences and disagreements and facilitate each other’s pursuit of development aspirations.”

“It’s important for both sides to shoulder our international responsibilities, set an example for boosting the strength and unity of the developing countries, and contribute to promoting multi-polarisation and democracy in international relations,” Xi said.

“The two leaders affirmed that stable, predictable, and amicable bilateral relations between India and China, as two neighbours and the two largest nations on earth, will have a positive impact on regional and global peace and prosperity,” India’s Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri told reporters after the meeting.

The clash in 2020 on the largely undemarcated frontier of Ladakh in the western Himalayas killed 20 Indian and four Chinese soldiers.

Relations between Beijing and New Delhi were strained as a result, with both sides beefing up their military