Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday met Chinese President Xi Jinping and emphasised the need to maintain the "momentum" generated during their two recent meetings.

Modi, who is in South Africa to attend the 10th BRICS Summit, met Xi for the third time in nearly four months.

The two leaders held a two-day informal summit in the Chinese city of Wuhan in late April and then they met on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in Qingdao, China in June.

Recalling his recent meetings with Xi, Prime Minister Modi said they have given a new strength to India-China ties and also provided new opportunities for the cooperation between the two countries.

"It is important to maintain this momentum and for this we should, at our level, regularly review our relationship and give proper instructions whenever required," Modi told Xi in his opening remarks.

At Wuhan, Modi and Xi had decided to issue "strategic guidance" to their militaries to strengthen communications to build trust and understanding, a move aimed at avoiding a Dokalam-like situation in the future.

Modi said Thursday's meeting has provided one more opportunity to them to strengthen their closer developmental partnership.

"Furthering India-China friendship. PM @narendramodi and President Xi Jinping hold talks on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit in South Africa," the Prime Minister's Office tweeted.

The two leaders are believed to have exchanged views on the international landscape, BRICS cooperation and other issues of mutual interest.

First Published:Jul 27, 2018 9:00 AM IST