China has renewed its agreement with India on sharing data on the cross-border flow of waters from the Brahmaputra river during the flood season. Under a Memorandum of Understanding signed on June 9, the Chinese side would provide hydrological data from May 15 to October 15 — the period when the Brahmaputra is prone to floods. The Chinese side would also provide hydrological data if the water level exceeds a “mutually agreed” level during the non-flood season.
The two sides also signed a protocol between the Chinese administration of Customs and Department of Agriculture on phytosanitry requirements that would enable all varieties of rice exports from India to China.
India has been pressing China to allow agricultural exports, to help reduce its adverse balance of payments. The June 9 protocol updates an earlier agreement of 2006. Under the new agreement, India would also be allowed to export non-Basmati rice to China.
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The agreements were signed in the presence of Prime Minster Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping, who met on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit.
PTI adds:
Mr. Modi and Mr. Xi held talks to draw a blueprint for deepening bilateral relationship and reviewed the implementation of decisions they had taken at an informal summit in Wuhan, reflecting a renewed momentum in their ties.
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Their second meeting in nearly six weeks since the Wuhan Summit took place on the sidelines of the SCO meet and covered key aspects of the bilateral engagement, reflecting the resolve by the two countries to reset relations and bring back trust in their ties which was hit by the Doklam standoff and several other thorny issues.
External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar described the meeting as “warm” and “forward looking”, while Chinese envoy to India Luo Zhaohui said the two leaders focused on the implementation of the “Wuhan consensus” and drawing a blueprint for the future Sino-India relations.
“Further strengthening the positive momentum in the bilateral relationship generated at the Wuhan informal summit, PM Narendra Modi had a warm and forward looking meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the SCO Summit,” Mr. Kumar tweeted.
The meeting between the leaders of two Asian powers came after their informal summit in the Chinese city of Wuhan to solidify the relationship in a broad spectrum of areas and ensuring better coordination between the border guarding forces of the two countries after the Doklam standoff.
After their talks in Wuhan, Mr. Modi and Mr. Xi had decided to issue “strategic guidance” to their militaries to strengthen communications to build trust and understanding as part of efforts to avoid a Doklam-like situation in the future.
The two leaders had also discussed ways to give impetus to their economic ties as well as people-to-people relations.
Mr. Luo said it was the 14th meeting between our two leaders over past four years.
Mr. Modi arrived in Qingdao in the afternoon on a two-day visit to attend the annual Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Summit.