Improving India-China relations serves common interests: President Xi to PM Modi
New Delhi (PTI): In his conversation with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, President Xi Jinping stressed that improving China-India relations serves common interests and it is conducive to peace and stability of the world and the region.
A Chinese readout said this Friday on the exchanges between the two leaders on the sidelines of the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa) summit in Johannesburg.
Separately, Indian sources said there was a pending request from the Chinese side for a bilateral meeting.
The two leaders, however, had an informal conversation in the leaders' lounge during the BRICS summit, they said.
India's Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra on Thursday said Prime Minister Modi conveyed to President Xi Jinping India's concerns on the "unresolved" issues along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh, underlining that maintenance of peace and tranquillity in border areas was essential for normalisation of India-China ties.
The Chinese readout described the conversation between the two leaders on Wednesday as "candid and in-depth"
"On August 23, President Xi Jinping and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi had a candid and in-depth exchange of views on current China-India relations and other questions of shared interest on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit," it said.
"President Xi stressed that improving China-India relations serves common interests of the two countries and peoples, and is also conducive to peace, stability and development of the world and the region," it said.
"The two sides should bear in mind the overall interests of their bilateral relations and handle properly the border issue so as to jointly safeguard peace and tranquillity in the border region," the statement released by the Chinese embassy in New Delhi said.
At a media briefing in Johannesburg on Thursday, Kwatra said Prime Minister Modi and President Xi agreed to direct their relevant officials to intensify efforts at "expeditious disengagement and de-escalation".
"On the sidelines of the BRICS summit, the prime minister had interactions with other BRICS leaders. In a conversation with President Xi Jinping of China, the prime minister highlighted India's concerns on unresolved issues along the LAC in the Western Sector of the India-China border areas," Kwatra said.
"The prime minister underlined that maintenance of peace and tranquillity in the border areas and observing and respecting the LAC are essential for the normalisation of the India-China relationship," the foreign secretary said.
"In this regard, two leaders agreed to direct their relevant officials to intensify efforts at expeditious disengagement and deescalation," Kwatra added.
The government refers to the eastern Ladakh region as the Western Sector.
It was their first interaction in public after their brief encounter on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Bali in November last year.
The two leaders met briefly at a formal dinner hosted by Indonesian President Joko Widodo on November 16.
The ties between India and China came under severe strain following the eastern Ladakh border row that began in May, 2020.
The Indian and Chinese troops are locked in an over three-year confrontation in certain friction points in eastern Ladakh even as the two sides completed disengagement from several areas following extensive diplomatic and military talks.
India has been consistently maintaining that peace and tranquillity along the LAC were key for normalisation of overall ties.
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US sanctions 15 Indian entities among 275 for supporting Russia's military-industrial base
Washington (PTI): The US has imposed sanctions on 275 individuals and entities, including 15 from India, for allegedly supporting Russia’s military-industrial base.
Companies from China, Switzerland, Thailand, and Turkiye have also been slapped with sanctions for supplying Russia with advanced technology and equipment that it desperately needs to support its war machine, the Department of Treasury said in a statement on Thursday.
In addition to disrupting global evasion networks, this action also targets domestic Russian importers and producers of key inputs and other material for Russia’s military-industrial base, the statement said.
“The United States and our allies will continue to take decisive action across the globe to stop the flow of critical tools and technologies that Russia needs to wage its illegal and immoral war against Ukraine,” Deputy Secretary of the Treasury Wally Adeyemo said.
“As evidenced by today’s action, we are unyielding in our resolve to diminish and degrade Russia’s ability to equip its war machine and stop those seeking to aid their efforts through circumvention or evasion of our sanctions and export controls,” Adeyemo said.
The State Department has also targeted sanctions evasion and circumvention in multiple third countries, including several China-based companies exporting dual-use goods that fill critical gaps in Russia’s military-industrial base and entities and individuals in Belarus related to the Lukashenka regime’s support for Russia’s defence industry, the statement said.
The US also targeted several senior Russian Ministry of Defence officials and defence companies and those supporting Russia’s future energy production and exports.
As per the list released by the Department of Treasury, the India-based companies are Abhar Technologies and Services Private Limited; Denvas Services Private Limited; Emsystech; Galaxy Bearings Ltd; Orbit Fintrade LLP; Innovio Ventures; KDG Engineering Private Limited; and Khushbu Honing Private Limited.
The Indian companies also include Lokesh Machines Limited; Pointer Electronics; RRG Engineering Technologies Private Limited; Sharpline Automation Private Limited; Shaurya Aeronautics Private Limited; Shreegee Impex Private Limited; and Shreya Life Sciences Private Limited.
On Wednesday, the US had imposed sanctions on nearly 400 entities and individuals for enabling Russia’s illegal war against Ukraine.
"The Department of State is targeting sanctions circumvention by parties in multiple third countries, several senior Russian Ministry of Defence officials and defence companies, and those that support the development of Russia’s future energy production and exports," Secretary of State Antony Blinken had said in a statement on Wednesday.
The US, he said, is imposing sanctions on several Chinese companies exporting dual-use goods that fill critical gaps in Russia’s military-industrial base as well as entities and individuals connected to the Lukashenka regime’s support for Russia’s defence industry.
