Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in New Delhi on Saturday to participate in the 18th BRICS Leaders’ Summit, returning to India for the first time in almost seven years.
His visit comes at a crucial stage in India-China relations, with New Delhi and Beijing making efforts to ease tensions that followed the 2020 military confrontation in eastern Ladakh.
Xi is expected to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the two-day summit. The talks could provide important signals about the future direction of relations between the two Asian powers.
Xi’s First India Visit Since 2019
Xi last visited India in October 2019 when he met Modi for an informal summit in Mamallapuram near Chennai.
Before that, the Chinese president had travelled to Goa in 2016 for the BRICS Summit. His first visit to India as China’s president took place in September 2014.
His return to New Delhi therefore carries considerable diplomatic significance, particularly as both countries attempt to rebuild communication after years of strained relations.
Border Tensions Remain a Key Issue
The relationship between India and China deteriorated sharply after the 2020 border standoff in eastern Ladakh.
Since then, military commanders and diplomats from both countries have held several rounds of discussions aimed at reducing tensions and maintaining peace along the Line of Actual Control.
The latest Modi-Xi interaction is expected to be closely watched for any indication of further progress on the border issue and the broader relationship.
National Security Adviser Ajit Doval and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi also held discussions in Beijing last month, with the boundary question and the restoration of stability along the border among the issues under discussion.
Who Is Travelling With Xi?
Xi has arrived with a senior Chinese delegation that includes some of Beijing’s most influential officials.
The delegation includes Cai Qi, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China and director of the General Office of the CPC Central Committee.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi is also accompanying Xi. Wang has been closely involved in recent diplomatic engagement between India and China, particularly on the boundary issue.
What China Wants From the BRICS Summit
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said Xi would address the summit and engage with other participating leaders on major international and BRICS-related matters.
Discussions are expected to cover global developments, the future expansion and functioning of the BRICS mechanism and ways to increase practical cooperation among member countries.
Beijing has said it wants greater BRICS cooperation to develop steadily and contribute towards what it describes as a community with a shared future for humanity.
India Hosts BRICS Leaders in New Delhi
India is hosting the 18th BRICS Leaders’ Summit in New Delhi on September 12 and 13 as the current chair of the grouping.
This year’s summit is being held under the theme, “Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability.”
India has placed development, innovation and sustainability at the centre of its BRICS agenda, while also seeking to highlight issues important to countries of the Global South.
With Xi’s arrival and his expected meeting with Modi, the summit has gained an additional layer of diplomatic importance as India and China look to determine whether their recent efforts to stabilise relations can translate into broader progress.
