Key facts
- Chinese President Xi Jinping is likely to attend the BRICS summit in New Delhi from September 12-13.
- This would be Xi's first visit to India in seven years.
- He is expected to be accompanied by a delegation of around 400 officials.
- The summit presents an opportunity for India and China to stabilize relations and manage differences.
- Recent border disputes have led to sharp diplomatic exchanges between the two nations.
Chinese President Xi Jinping is likely to attend the upcoming BRICS summit in New Delhi next month, accompanied by a large delegation of approximately 400 officials. This potential visit, his first to India in seven years, is seen as a significant signal of efforts to stabilize relations between the two nuclear-armed rivals, which have been strained since deadly border clashes in 2020.
Indian officials are reportedly busy finalizing security protocols and hotel arrangements for the summit, scheduled for September 12-13. While the BRICS agenda will be discussed, Xi's presence is expected to draw attention for its implications on Sino-Indian relations. The two countries share a long, largely undemarcated border in the Himalayas, and recent border-related disputes have led to sharp diplomatic exchanges.
Officials from both nations are anticipated to use the summit as an opportunity to explore avenues for increased engagement while addressing persistent differences concerning the border and regional security. Xi's final travel plans and bilateral meeting agenda are still being finalized. The Chinese foreign ministry confirmed China's active participation in BRICS and support for India's chairmanship, but offered no specific information on Xi's visit.
India's National Security Advisor Ajit Doval is currently in Beijing to hold talks with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on the boundary issue. Despite being competitors, India and China find a point of convergence in their shared response to U.S. President Donald Trump's trade policies, suggesting that neither side wishes external pressures to undermine the BRICS forum.