Russia, India and China may hold a summit in the near future, according to President Vladimir Putin’s aide Yury Ushakov. However, there is no confirmation of such a summit, from Indian authorities. If this meet happens, it will be the first meeting between New Delhi and Beijing after the LAC standoff last year. Earlier the leaders of the three countries met in 2019 for the G-20 summit in Osaka.
Key Points
1. The claim by Russian Presidential Aide Yury Ushakov, followed President Putin 's virtual summit with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping in which, according to the Kremlin, the topic of cooperation in the Russia-India-China (RIC) format was addressed. He further said that the leaders "agreed to continue exchanging opinions in this regard and to endeavor to hold the next summit within the RIC framework in the near future. Putin informed Xi Jinping about the visit to New Delhi on December 6 in this context, Ushakov said. He further said that the topic of cooperation within the framework of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation was also discussed in detail during Xi-Putin summit.
2. In the RIC format, the leaders of the three countries last met in June, 2019 . PM Narendra Modi has had no bilateral summit with Xi since the ongoing LAC stand-off started in April last year and India has repeatedly stated that there cannot be business as usual with China until the LAC disengagement is complete.
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3. However, RIC foreign ministers met virtually last month under India’s chairmanship. The agenda of the meeting included travel restrictions imposed due to the pandemic and mutual recognition of vaccine certificates, the Afghan situation and the need for RIC to coordinate their position on humanitarian aid to the Afghan people. The meeting also held discussion on the urgent elimination of UNSC proscribed terrorist groups such as Al-Qaeda, ISIL and others for lasting peace in Afghanistan and the region.
4. It is also important to recall that India had extended its support for the Beijing Winter Olympics during the RIC foreign ministers' meet. The USA has already announced its decision in favour of diplomatic boycott of the Beijing Olympics. The Chinese government will host the Winter Olympics and Paralympic Games in Beijing from March 4-13 next year.
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