PM Modi meets President Xi, takes part in BRICS meet as G20 summit begins

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the first day of G20 Summit in Argentina took part in BRICS informal meet and met Chinese President Xi Jinping.

At the BRICS informal meet, which has become a tradition on the sidelines of G20, PM Modi raised the issue of terror and radicalisation. He said, "Terrorism and radicalism are a threat to the world, those who commit financial crimes are also a big threat. We have to work together against black money."

India has already been raising the issue of cross-border terrorism emanating from Pakistan from the various global forum. 

Lauding BRICS as a grouping, PM said, "We have to talk in one voice for the interest of developing nations in the United Nations and other multilateral organisations. This is the reason we have come together for BRICS".

Last year, informal BRICS meet on the sidelines of 12th G20 summit in Hamburg helped India and China break the ice on the Doklam issue. Indian PM and Chinese president had met on the sidelines of that BRICS informal meet.

Later, PM Modi met the Chinese president - the fourth meeting between the two leaders in this year. PM said, "This has been a good year for bilateral ties". 

Recalling the Wuhan informal summit, PM Modi said, "it was a milestone and engagement between the two countries got new momentum".

He also invited Chinese President Xi Jinping to India for the 2019 informal meet. 

Recalling his meet with Chinese president on the sidelines of SCO summit in China and BRICS summit in South Africa, PM hoped the momentum in ties continued.

Later briefing the media, foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale said, "fourth meeting between PM Modi and Chinese President Xi made progress on the economic side. On the political side as well both leaders felt that there has been a progress on border management, counter-terrorism agenda and people to people issues".

China is willing to exchange more on the hydrological issue. Remember India was alerted on Brahmaputra flow issue earlier this year. Both sides are also training Afghan diplomats as part of a first joint project between India and China agreed during the Wuhan summit.