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Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri on Tuesday (local time) stated that External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi reviewed the progress in recent disengagement efforts along the India-China border during a meeting on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Brazil.
Misri noted that this meeting was mandated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping during the BRICS Summit held last month. At the 16th BRICS Summit in Kazan, Russia, India and China held their first bilateral talks in five years, marking a significant step towards mending strained relations between the two neighbours. These ties have been marred by a prolonged military standoff along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh. The disengagement is seen as a concrete step towards restoring the pre-2020 status quo. The Galwan Valley clash in June 2020, which resulted in casualties on both sides, was the most severe conflict between the two nations in decades. Additionally, agreements have been reached in other sectors along the LAC. During a press briefing, Vikram Misri said, "The meeting took place yesterday, and the two foreign ministers, as mandated by the two leaders during the meeting between the Prime Minister and President Xi Jinping in Kazan at the BRICS Summit last month, exchanged views. They reviewed progress in the recent disengagement in the India-China border areas and discussed the next steps in the bilateral relationship. The two sides are also discussing the possible scheduling of an early meeting between their special representatives." Earlier, EAM Jaishankar informed that India and China concluded the final phase of disengagement on October 21. Additionally, Misri highlighted key developments from the India-Australia annual meeting, which took place on the sidelines of the G20 Summit. He emphasised the launch of the Renewable Energy Partnership, aimed at boosting two-way investment in the renewable energy sector. "The Prime Minister met with Prime Minister Albanese of Australia for the 2nd India-Australia Annual Summit. This was the 11th meeting between the two leaders. The highlight of the meeting was the launch of the Renewable Energy Partnership between the two countries," Misri said. The Renewable Energy Partnership aims to provide a framework for practical cooperation in priority areas such as solar PV, green hydrogen, and energy storage. Australian Prime Minister Albanese expressed his enthusiasm for the partnership, stating, "I am delighted to welcome the launch of the India-Australia Renewable Energy Partnership. This is a significant milestone in our cooperation. Our new partnership will boost two-way investment in renewable energy." Misri also noted that discussions touched upon the upcoming QUAD Summit, scheduled to be held in India in 2025. "Naturally, there was a significant focus on cooperation under the QUAD format, as well as exploring the possibility of encouraging investments between the two countries in both directions," Misri said. (ANI)
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