International: China's Foreign Ministry downplayed questions on a possible meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the BRICS summit in Russia this week. "We will keep you posted if anything comes up," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian said while replying to a question at a media briefing here on Monday. Both PM Modi and President Xi are attending the BRICS Summit in Kazan, Russia, which begins Tuesday.

Ahead of Prime Minister Modi's visit to Kazan, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said in New Delhi on Monday that Indian and Chinese negotiators have reached an agreement on patrolling along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh. There was no reaction in Beijing to the agreement announced by Misri.

The ties between India and China nosedived following the fierce clash in the Galwan Valley in June 2020 that marked the most serious military conflict between the two sides in decades.

BRICS Summit

Last Friday, China announced that Xi will attend the BRICS Summit in Russia, where he will work with other parties to open a new era for the Global South to seek strength through solidarity. BRICS originally consisted of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates have been admitted as new members. The theme of this year's Summit is Strengthening Multilateralism for Just Global Development and Security.

The spokesperson of the Ministry, Mao Ning, said that Xi will attend small-group and large-group meetings, BRICS Plus Dialogue and deliver important addresses. Xi will also have in-depth exchanges with other leaders on the international landscape, the BRICS practical cooperation, the development of the BRICS mechanism and important issues of mutual interest, she said.