Modi, Xi agree to issue strategic guidance to militaries to strengthen communications: Foreign Secretary

Briefing reporters at the end of an unprecedented two-day informal summit between the two leaders in the central Chinese city of Wuhan, Mr. Gokhale said the two leaders underscored that it is important to maintain peace and tranquillity in all areas of the India-China border region.

“And to this end, the two leaders decided that they would issue strategic guidance to their respective militaries, to strengthen communications, to build trust and understanding, to implement various confidence-building measures which have already been agreed upon by the two sides and to strengthen existing institutional mechanisms to prevent and manage situations in the border areas,” he said.

Mr. Gokhale's remarks came at the end of the ‘heart-to-heart’ summit, which is being seen as an effort by India and China to rebuild trust and improve ties that were hit by the 73-day-long Doklam standoff in 2017.

“The two leaders were of the view that the two countries have the maturity and wisdom to handle all our differences through peaceful discussions within the context of the overall relationships and bearing in mind, we would respect each other’s sensitivities, concerns and aspirations,” Mr. Gokhale said.

The two leaders recognised terrorism as common threat and committed to cooperate further on counter terrorism, he said.