NEW DELHI, September 12: Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in New Delhi on Saturday to attend the 18th BRICS Summit and hold bilateral talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, marking his first visit to India in seven years. The visit comes as New Delhi and Beijing cautiously work to stabilise ties following years of tension over their disputed border.
Xi’s arrival puts the spotlight on the expected Modi-Xi meeting, with border management, trade and economic relations likely to dominate discussions between Asia’s two largest economies.
Xi Returns to India After Seven Years
Xi was given a ceremonial welcome after arriving in the capital for the two-day BRICS leaders’ summit.
His last visit to India was in 2019, before bilateral relations deteriorated sharply following the 2020 Galwan Valley clash, in which 20 Indian soldiers and four Chinese soldiers were killed.
Relations have gradually improved since a disengagement agreement reached in 2024, although both countries continue to maintain significant military deployments along parts of the Line of Actual Control.
Modi-Xi Bilateral Talks in Focus
Prime Minister Modi and President Xi are scheduled to hold talks on the sidelines of the summit. It will be their third bilateral interaction in three years as both governments seek to rebuild political engagement.
Key issues expected to figure in the discussions include:
- Maintaining peace and stability along the India-China border
- Reviewing progress from recent boundary negotiations
- India’s large trade deficit with China
- Better market access for Indian products and companies
- Investment and visa-related restrictions
- Wider economic and strategic cooperation
India’s trade deficit with China has emerged as a major concern, with New Delhi seeking greater access to the Chinese market for sectors including pharmaceuticals, agriculture and information technology.
Signs of Gradual Thaw in India-China Relations
The summit comes amid several signs of improving connectivity between the two countries.
China Southern Airlines announced on Saturday that regular Guangzhou-New Delhi passenger flights will resume from September 21, ending a six-year suspension of the route. Other direct air services between India and China have also begun returning as diplomatic engagement improves.
However, strategic distrust has not disappeared. Differences remain over the unresolved boundary dispute, Chinese investment in sensitive sectors and wider regional security concerns.
BRICS Summit Brings Major Leaders to Delhi
Xi is among several major world leaders attending the BRICS summit in New Delhi, alongside Russian President Vladimir Putin, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa.
On the first day of the summit, BRICS members adopted the New Delhi Declaration, calling for restraint in the Middle East and emphasising dialogue and diplomacy to resolve international conflicts.
Prime Minister Modi also called for reforms to global institutions, including the United Nations Security Council, and argued that developing countries should have a greater role in global decision-making.
Modi-Xi Meeting Could Shape Next Phase of Ties
While major breakthroughs are not guaranteed, the Modi-Xi talks are being closely watched for signs that India and China can move from cautious normalisation toward more stable political and economic relations.
The meeting is especially significant because it comes at a time of heightened geopolitical tension, disruptions to global trade and energy markets, and growing pressure on BRICS to demonstrate unity among its expanding membership.
source – Reuters / The Indian Express
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