Chinese President Xi Jinping is set to visit India on September 12 and 13 to attend the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi, marking his first visit to the country in seven years. The visit has been confirmed by China and comes at a significant time for India-China relations and global geopolitics.
According to the Chinese Foreign Ministry, Xi will travel to India at the invitation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The BRICS Summit, being hosted by India at Bharat Mandapam, will focus on strengthening cooperation among member countries and discussing major global and regional developments.
When Did Xi Last Visit India?
Xi Jinping’s previous visit to India was in 2019, when he travelled to Mahabalipuram, near Chennai, for his second informal summit with Prime Minister Modi. Before that, he visited India in 2014 for his first official visit during Modi’s tenure. Xi also attended the BRICS Summit in Goa in 2016.
His upcoming visit is particularly significant because India-China relations witnessed a major setback following the 2020 Galwan Valley clash. Since then, both sides have gradually taken steps to ease tensions and restore diplomatic and economic engagement.
The BRICS Summit could provide an important platform for Modi and Xi to discuss bilateral issues. A bilateral meeting between the two leaders is also likely on the sidelines of the summit, which would be their first such meeting since the Galwan clash.
Xi and Modi recently appeared together at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in Kyrgyzstan, where they were seen shaking hands, although no formal bilateral meeting was held.
With Russia’s Vladimir Putin and other BRICS leaders also expected in New Delhi, Xi’s visit is likely to attract significant global attention. The summit could shape discussions on global governance, economic cooperation and major geopolitical crises.