China and India reached a deal over their disputed Himalayan border to help defuse a four-year military standoff marked by violent skirmishes. The pact between the world’s two most populous countries — in which both sides agreed to alternately patrol contested areas to ensure no border violations — came just ahead of the BRICS summit in Russia.

India and China have reached a border agreement four years after one of the deadliest border clashes in recent memory, both governments have confirmed. The announcement comes ahead of the BRICS summit where Chinese President Xi Jinping and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be in attendance.

India and China have reached an agreement on military disengagement along their disputed border, New Delhi said, a step toward reducing frictions between the nuclear-armed neighbors that comes as both countries’ leaders arrive in Russia for a summit.