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Congress MP Karti Chidambaram on Monday said India must continue engaging with China, while seeking details from the government on the outcome of the bilateral meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit in New Delhi.

Engagement is Key, Says Chidambaram

Speaking to ANI about the PM Modi-Xi Jinping bilateral meeting, Chidambaram said engagement was the only way to resolve issues between the two countries, which share differences on several fronts including trade, security and border matters. "I don't know what the Chinese President and the Indian Prime Minister spoke to each other about, but India must engage with China. I believe that only engagement will resolve issues, and we will have multiple issues. All issues cannot be solved at the same time. We have trade issues, security issues, international commonalities, and differences, but we have to keep engaging. Engagement is the key," Chidambaram said.

He said the government should take the nation and Parliament into confidence about the discussions held between the two leaders. "Whether we are going to get any outcomes, whether anything specific was discussed, and whether anything specifically will be followed up on—it is really incumbent upon the government to take the nation or Parliament into confidence. But this government always operates more on optics than on actual details when it comes to these kinds of meetings. It is only fair that we ask these questions and ask the government: What was the outcome of the meetings? What was raised? What assurances were given? And what will be the follow-up?" he said.

"Yes, everything cannot be solved in one meeting, but engagement is important. We have a border issue, security issues, and trade issues. Are we making progress in any one of them? Whether we like it or not, India and China are large countries that will always be neighbours. So, we will always have issues. Therefore, we must always engage with each other," he added.

On BRICS Declaration and Terrorism

Chidambaram welcomed the BRICS declaration condemning terrorism but said its effectiveness would depend on its implementation and the future actions of member countries. The Congress MP said, "It is most welcome that we are condemning terrorism. It is also noteworthy that two nations that are actively involved in conflicts, Iran and Russia, were also present at the meeting. While we have spoken about Gaza, we have to see whether there will be any efficacy and implementation of this idea, because the United States and Israel are so closely aligned. Whether this bloc, while collectively stating this, will individually insist on it when they deal with America, I don't know.”

Chidambaram welcomed the declaration condemning the Pahalgam attack. "Terrorism of all sorts must be condemned. But we must also see whether any of these nations will still aid and assist Pakistan. Because post-Pahalgam, we had Operation Sindoor. But the evidence is that China actively aided Pakistan against India during Operation Sindoor. So, what is the weight of this declaration if you are going to condemn terrorism and the action that India takes against a terror state, but if one of the other members is actively aiding and assisting that terror state in a conflict with us? So, while the declaration is welcome, we have to see what the outcome of this declaration will be and whether there will be a behavioural change among the members in the way they react to situations,” he further said.

Modi-Xi Bilateral Meeting at BRICS

India hosted the 18th BRICS Summit under its 2026 Chairmanship on September 12-13, with the New Delhi Declaration unanimously adopted by BRICS leaders. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Chinese President also held a bilateral meeting, strengthening the bilateral ties between the two neighbouring countries.

During the meeting, Xi Jinping said China and India should view their bilateral ties from a strategic perspective, keeping in mind the long-term development of relations. "China-India relations have developed, with both sides keeping in mind the long-term development of bilateral relations from a strategic perspective,” Xi said during his meeting with PM Modi.

Xi said that although China and India are different, the two countries have been able to “support and help each other to achieve common development.” The Chinese President noted that this was his second visit to New Delhi in 12 years and said the two leaders had met more than 20 times during the period, leading to “a series of important consensuses".

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during the bilateral meeting, expressed gratitude to China for its support and cooperation during India's BRICS chairship. (ANI)

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)