Brics declaration: India’s readout skips mention of Xi’s ‘partners, not rivals’ statement

NEW DELHI: Chinese President Xi Jinping told Prime Minister Narendra Modi the current momentum in bilateral ties anchored in resumption of institutional exchanges, expanding cooperation agenda and increasing trade is hard-won and deserves to be cherished.The two sides look to reinforce the thaw in relationship with another meeting between the leaders.While PM Modi joined Xi in welcoming the "steady progress" in bilateral relations, he underlined India's position that peace and tranquillity in border areas will act as an essential basis for continued development of the relationship.The leaders met on the margins of Brics summit for what was their third bilateral meeting in two years, starting with Kazan in 2024 and Tianjin last year.India’s readout skips mention of Xi’s ‘not rivals’ formulationIn their 40-minute meeting, the first on Indian soil in seven years, Modi and Xi agreed that the two countries should take a strategic and long-term perspective of their ties…