China’s President Xi Jinping may attend the BRICS summit in New Delhi next month, potentially marking his first visit to India in 7 years and signalling another step towards improving ties between the 2 countries.
India will host the BRICS summit from September 12 to 13. Xi’s possible presence is expected to draw attention beyond the summit’s agenda, particularly because India and China have been working to stabilise relations following the deadly border clashes of 2020.
“Chinese officials are busy finalising hotels and security protocols,” an Indian source with direct knowledge said.
2 other Indian sources said Xi could travel with a delegation of about 400 officials, compared with fewer than 200 who accompanied him during his previous visit in 2019.
Officials from India and China are expected to use the summit to explore ways to strengthen engagement while managing differences over the disputed border and regional security issues. However, Xi’s final travel plans and details of any possible bilateral meeting with Indian officials have not yet been confirmed.
China’s foreign ministry said, “China attaches great importance to and actively participates in BRICS cooperation, and supports India, the current chair, in successfully hosting this year’s BRICS summit.”
It added, “We currently have no information available to provide” regarding Xi’s visit. Xi did not attend the 2025 BRICS summit in Brazil.
India’s foreign ministry has not commented on the possible visit.
India and China share a roughly 3,800-km disputed and largely undemarcated Himalayan border. Relations deteriorated sharply after clashes in 2020 killed 20 Indian and 4 Chinese soldiers. The confrontation led to a 4-year military standoff before the 2 sides reached a disengagement agreement in October 2024.
Tensions have remained sensitive. On August 12, India said maintaining peace along the border was essential to bilateral relations after reports that Indian and Chinese patrols had confronted each other near a remote border area in late July.
India’s National Security Advisor Ajit Doval has also begun a visit to Beijing for talks with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on the boundary issue.
While India and China remain strategic competitors, US President Donald Trump’s trade policies have created some common ground. Xi’s possible attendance could therefore signal that both countries want to prevent external pressure from weakening BRICS cooperation.
(This story has not been edited by The Mainstream staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
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