A confrontation between Indian and Chinese troops in the Himalayas and Tibetan street protests in New Delhi cast a shadow yesterday over Chinese president Xi Jinping’s meeting with Narendra Modi, Indian prime minister.

Hours before the two governments signed 12 agreements on trade, railways and planned Chinese investments of $20bn over the next five years, India’s foreign ministry said Mr Modi had raised the issue of incursions in recent days by Chinese troops across the disputed border known as the Line of Actual Control.

It was not immediately clear if this latest incident in the Himalayas – apparently one of the most serious for years – was the result of a show of strength by Beijing to coincide with Mr Xi’s visit or arose from more aggressive patrolling by the Indian army on the orders of the nationalist Mr Modi.