Xi Jinping to Visit India for BRICS Summit After 7 Years

Chinese President Xi Jinping is set to visit India for the September 12–13 BRICS Summit, marking his first trip in seven years and providing an opportunity to strengthen India-China diplomatic engagement.

President Xi Jinping will travel to India to participate in the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi from September 12 to 13. China has announced the news, removing any ambiguity about his participation in the prominent summit. It is worth mentioning that this is President Xi's first visit to India after seven years.

The news arrives on the eve of the BRICS leaders' summit to be hosted by India. The attendance of Xi in the summit will lend greater significance to the occasion, especially when the two countries are still trying to stabilise their relations after years of friction.

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This is because President Xi Jinping’s most recent visit to India occurs in 2019 when he visits Chennai to hold an informal meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. This is because relations between the two nations have worsened since the 2020 Galwan Valley scuffle along the Line of Actual Control.

Recently, however, there have been indications that India and China have been working toward bettering their relationship. Diplomacy plays a role in helping to ease border tensions, as both countries work towards re-engagement. The upcoming visit by Xi offers a chance for the two leaders to discuss bilateral matters in the context of BRICS.

The topics for discussion at the summit will include economic cooperation, global governance, development, multilateralism and key geopolitical questions. The Presidency of India within BRICS will also seek to enhance cooperation amongst the member countries and also on the matters that concern emerging economies.

Modi's expected meeting with Xi Jinping will certainly draw a lot of attention. While the BRICS platform is certainly an essential channel through which multilateral cooperation can take place, there is much scope in this bilateral meeting to tackle some unresolved issues, especially those concerning the borders and economics. The meeting is seen by many analysts as one that can help sustain the ongoing diplomatic warming process.

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Xi’s visit comes amid a period in which BRICS is taking on an increased responsibility in world politics. In addition to its five founding states, the BRICS group now comprises several other member states.

Thus, the Chinese President's presence indicates more than just being present in the multilateral forum. It marks a new phase of high-level India-China interaction and offers both countries an opportunity to continue their dialogue even while cooperating in the BRICS format.