It was the festering border row which Modi sought to address first in his meeting with Xi on Thursday as he told him that peace and tranquillity along the borders was imperative for mutual trust and for realizing the full potential of Sino-Indian relations.
"This is an important understanding, which should be strictly observed," Modi said as he raised "serious concerns" over what India calls serial transgressions by the Chinese.
Pitching for a quick clarification of the Line of Actual Control (LAC), Modi told Xi that China had to restore the status quo that existed before September 10 in Ladakh this year. Foreign minister Sushma Swaraj also raised the issue with her counterpart Wang Yi.
Modi, in fact, set the tone on Wednesday evening itself when, just after the public display of bonhomie, he raised the latest Chinese transgressions at Chumar in Ladakh in an after-dinner "pow-wow" with Xi.
The Chinese president came back with a response on Thursday when he told Modi that he had "noted'' India's concerns and that the incidents in Ladakh may be a fallout of the non-demarcated border.
Sources said Modi took up the border issue strongly because the understanding in the government was that the incidents at Chumar could not have taken place without the concurrence of the top Chinese leadership.
In fact, even as vigorous diplomacy continued, the Army had ensured enough presence in the region to outnumber the Chinese troops. Sources said more Indian troops were ready to move into the region where civilians formed a human wall to prevent the Chinese from moving into what India claims to be its territory.
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