India-China agree to ‘fully abide’ by bilateral agreements, protocols during NSA Ajit Doval-Chinese FM talks

National Security Advisor (NSA) of India Ajit Doval and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi held talks in St Petersburg of Russia on the sidelines of the the meeting of BRICS high-ranking officials responsible for security matters and agreed to “fully abide by” relevant bilateral agreements, protocols, and understandings reached in past.

In a statement, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said the two sides agreed that the bilateral relationship between India and China is significant not just for two countries but also for region, world.

During the talks with Chinese foreign minister, NSA Doval conveyed that “peace, tranquility in borders areas, respect for the Line of Actual Control (LAC) essential for normalcy in ties.”

“Both sides agreed to work with urgency and redouble their efforts to realize complete disengagement in the remaining areas. NSA conveyed that peace and tranquility in borders areas and respect for LAC are essential for normalcy in bilateral relations,” the external affairs ministry said in a press release.

“The meeting gave the two sides an opportunity to review the recent efforts towards finding an early resolution of the remaining issues along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), which will create conditions to stabilize and rebuild bilateral relations," it said.

The two sides also exchanged views on the global and regional situation.

Earlier in the day, Ajit Doval also met with Russian President Vladimir Putin and exchanged a handshake. The Russian Embassy in India shared pictures on X and said, "On September 12, Russia's President Vladimir Putin had a meeting with Ajit Doval, National Security Advisor to the Prime Minister of India, at the Konstantinovsky Palace in St Petersburg."

Russia is holding the BRICS chairmanship for the year 2024. BRICS is an informal group of states comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, with new members Egypt, Iran, UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Ethiopia joining the grouping in 2023. NSA Doval had participated in the 13th BRICS NSA meeting in Johannesburg in July 2023.

(With agency inputs)