New Delhi, Aug 26 : The Centre on Friday refuted China's claim that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the BRICS summit in Johannesburg happened at New Delhi's request, saying that there was a "pending request from China's side for a bilateral meeting".

A pending request for a bilateral meeting was there from the Chinese side, government sources said.

They further added that both the leaders, however, had an "informal conversation" at the Leaders Lounge during the BRICS Summit at Johannesburg.