Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping will hold their first bilateral meeting in five years Wednesday, October 23, days after their countries reached an agreement to allow border patrolling operations in both countries along the Actual Line of Control (LAC) to resume, completing a disengagement process along the disputed borders.

The PM Narendra Modi and President Xi Jinping meeting will take place on the sidelines of the three-day 16th Brics Summit hosted by President Vladimir Putin in the Russian city of Kazan, a sign of a potential thaw between the neighbours since clashes between their troops in 2020.

“There will be a bilateral meeting held between Prime Minister Modi and President Xi Jinping… on the sidelines of the Brics summit,” foreign secretary Vikram Misri said late on Tuesday.

The leaders of the world’s two most populous nations last held face-to-face formal talks when Xi Jinping visited Narendra Modi in the Mahabalipuram in October of 2019.

Months later, in 2020, relations plunged after a skirmish along their contested frontier in the high-altitude Himalayan region of Ladakh, in which 20 Indian and several Chinese soldiers were killed.

Main India-China conflicts and tensions since 2019:

1. Doklam standoff (2017) – Precursor to 2019 tensions:

Although the Doklam standoff took place in 2017, it set the stage for heightened tensions. Indian and Chinese forces faced off in the Doklam region, near the tri-junction of India, Bhutan, and China. The conflict lasted 73 days and revolved around China’s attempt to build a road on disputed territory.

2. 2019: Rise in border tensions:

Tensions began to rise in 2019 after the abrogation of Article 370, which revoked Jammu and Kashmir’s special status. China objected to the change, particularly concerning Ladakh, which shares a border with Chinese-controlled Aksai Chin. China raised concerns at the United Nations over this issue, escalating diplomatic friction.

3. 2020 Galwan Valley clash:

May 2020: Chinese and Indian troops engaged in multiple face-offs at various points along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh, including Pangong Tso, Galwan Valley, and Hot Springs.

June 15, 2020: The deadliest clash in decades occurred in the Galwan Valley, where hand-to-hand combat between soldiers led to the deaths of 20 Indian soldiers and an unknown number of Chinese troops. This was the first deadly skirmish between the two nations since 1975.

Following this, both sides deployed thousands of additional troops to the LAC, leading to a massive military buildup.

4. 2020-2021 Pangong Tso standoff:

August 2020: India accused China of attempting to change the status quo in the Pangong Tso area by moving its forces into new positions along the southern bank.

February 2021: After several rounds of military and diplomatic talks, both India and China agreed to a disengagement plan to pull back their troops from some areas along Pangong Tso.

5. 2021 Depsang Plains and Gogra-Hot Springs:

Despite disengagement in Pangong Tso, tensions persisted in areas such as the Depsang Plains and Gogra-Hot Springs, where Chinese troops continued to obstruct Indian patrols.

July 2021: The two countries agreed to a partial disengagement in Gogra, but other areas of contention remained unresolved.

6. 2022 Tawang clash in Arunachal Pradesh:

December 2022: A clash broke out between Indian and Chinese troops in the Tawang sector of Arunachal Pradesh. This was a rare clash in the eastern sector, far from the LAC in Ladakh. Both sides sustained minor injuries, and the incident was resolved without escalation.

7. Military talks and diplomacy:

India and China have held numerous rounds of military and diplomatic talks since 2020 to ease tensions along the LAC. However, full disengagement had not been achieved in all sectors, and patrolling rights in certain areas remain contested.

8. Infrastructure development:

Both countries have continued to build infrastructure along the LAC. India has ramped up its road and military infrastructure in Ladakh and Arunachal Pradesh, while China has also developed roads, airstrips, and military installations in Tibet and Xinjiang.