• India and China have agreed to improve communication between their militaries to maintain peace at the border, India's foreign secretary Vijay Gokhale said, months after a dispute over a stretch of their Himalayan border rekindled fears of war.

Major Takeaways

• "And to this end, the two leaders decided that they would issue strategic guidance to their respective militaries, to strengthen communications, to build trust and understanding, to implement various confidence-building measures which have already been agreed upon by the two sides and to strengthen existing institutional mechanisms to prevent and manage situations in the border areas," he added.
• The two leaders discussed "solidifying" the India-China ties, recognised terrorism as the common threat, and decided to issue strategic guidance to their respective armies.
• The consensus against terrorism: foreign secretary Vijay Gokhale addressed the media and said that both Prime minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping recognised terrorism as a common threat.

Milestone In Relations

• In Wuhan, PM Modi invited Chinese president Xi Jinping to an informal summit next year.
• Wuhan, China: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese president Xi Jinping have agreed to improve communication between the militaries of the two countries to maintain peace at the border, a top government official said today at the end of an ice-breaking trip to China by PM Modi.
• In a move that could upset Pakistan, PM Modi and President Xi also agreed to undertake a joint India-China economic project in Afghanistan.

• China and India have an opportunity for peace
• Beijing has bristled at India's critique of Mr Xi's signature Belt-and-Road initiative and watched with suspicion as India strengthened strategic ties with China's major rivals the US and Japan.
• Chinese President Xi Jinping and Indian Prime minister Narendra Modi agreed to maintain "peace and tranquillity" along with their disputed border and enhance "strategic communication" during a two-day summit intended to improve tense relations between the giant Asian neighbours.
• In a nod to the recent tension between the two Asian powers, Mr Xi called on both sides to examine their ties through a "strategic perspective" to ensure that "relations between the two countries always proceed in the right direction".

China Won't Force India To Join Beijing's Key One Belt Road Project

• "One of the norms is that the project should not violate the sovereignty and territorial integrity of a country.
• Wuhan, China: Beijing will not stress on India joining China's key Belt and Road infrastructure project, Chinese Vice foreign minister Kong Xuanyou said today after an informal summit between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping in Wuhan.
• China does not think it is important whether India accepts China's Belt and Road infrastructure project and China won't force it to, Kong told reporters in Wuhan.