Further de-escalation on agenda amid talk of Modi-Xi meet at SCO

While Prime Minister Narendra Modi will pitch for effective measures to counter terror in Eurasia, enhance inclusive connectivity and widen trade possibilities in Eurasia, all eyes will be on his possible meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping following the disengagement in Eastern Ladakh where the two armies were locked in a standoff for over two years.

However, the wider de-escalation of 60,000 troops besides heavy equipment, is still to be negotiated and the issue of de-escalation will dominate the agenda if Modi meets Xi in Samarkand. India will pitch for a return to the status quo of April 2020.

While the atmospherics have improved ahead of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit, there is no confirmation of Modi-Xi meet at Samarkand even though the Chinese side may be keen for a meeting ahead of the Party Congress.

It is understood that Xi may raise the issue of action against Chinese apps and cell phone companies by the Indian government if he meets Modi. The Indian side is expected to convey that the action was necessary to safeguard national interests.

Any possible Modi-Xi meeting will be closely followed globally amid growing Chinese assertiveness in the Indo-Pacific region.

National Security Adviser Ajit Doval oversaw the process of disengagement along with the senior armed forces officers. Indian and Chinese troops completed the disengagement process at Patrolling Point-15 in the Gogra-Hot Springs region of Eastern Ladakh on Tuesday. The process was completed by Tuesday afternoon. Last week, the government had said that the disengagement process in this area started on Thursday and will be completed by Monday. But the process was completed a day later.

The process had five elements: Stopping of "forward deployments"; return of troops of both sides to their respective areas; dismantling of "all temporary structures and other allied infrastructure"; restoring "landforms in the area" to pre-standoff positions by both sides; stopping of forward deployment in a "phased, coordinated and verified manner", and ensuring structures are "dismantled and mutually verified".

Among the other bilaterals, Modi is expected to meet his hosts and the Uzbek President, President of Russia and a possible meeting with the Iranian president. Bilaterals with Central Asian leaders are also on the cards.

At the last SCO Summit organised by Tajikistan in 2021, Modi had said the SCO member states should develop a common template to fight increasing radicalisation as it is the biggest challenge to the region.

"I believe that the biggest challenges in this area are related to peace, security and trust-deficit and the root cause of these problems is increasing radicalisation," Modi told the SCO Summit virtually.

He highlighted India's concerns over regional stability and asked SCO member states to ensure the Eurasian grouping works closely on this issue.