Xi Jinping’s India Return: China Confirms BRICS Visit, Eyes on Modi Engagement

Chinese President Xi Jinping will travel to New Delhi for the 18th BRICS Summit on September 12–13, Beijing confirmed on Thursday, setting up his first visit to India in seven years and sharpening attention on the possibility of talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Xi would attend at Modi’s invitation. His last visit to India was in 2019, when the two leaders met in Mamallapuram for their second informal summit.

The return comes as New Delhi and Beijing work to stabilise relations after years of tensions along the Line of Actual Control. While Xi’s attendance is confirmed, the announcement did not specify a separate bilateral meeting with Modi. Any engagement between the two leaders on the sidelines of the summit will consequently be watched for signals on the direction of India-China ties.

A visit confirmed after weeks of anticipation

Beijing’s announcement ends uncertainty over its representation at the summit. On September 8, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning had said China attached considerable importance to BRICS cooperation and supported India’s hosting of the gathering, but stopped short of confirming Xi’s attendance.

“As for your specific question, I currently have no information to share,” she had said.

The confirmation follows a brief interaction between Modi and Xi at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Summit in Bishkek earlier this month. On September 1, the leaders shook hands ahead of the group photograph, with Russian President Vladimir Putin joining the interaction.

Modi had invited Xi to the Delhi summit, and the Chinese President had thanked him and expressed support for India’s BRICS presidency.

Ahead of the announcement, India’s Ambassador to China, Vikram Doraiswami, argued that the summit offered an opportunity to deepen cooperation between the two countries.

Writing in the Chinese daily Global Times, he described a “stable, predictable, and amicable” relationship as important for their combined population of 2.8 billion and for global peace and prosperity.

Doraiswami identified trade, connectivity, climate action, public health and the digital economy as areas where the two countries could work together.

He also recalled Xi’s remarks to Modi last year describing India and China as cooperation partners and development opportunities for each other. The ambassador linked progress in the broader relationship to stability at the border.

“Peace and tranquillity in the China-India border areas provide an essential foundation for this partnership,” he wrote.

Calling for ties to advance through “mutual respect, mutual sensitivity and mutual interest”, Doraiswami stressed that differences should not develop into disputes.

What is on the BRICS agenda?

India will host the summit at Bharat Mandapam under the theme “Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability”, with Global South priorities central to its presidency.

The expected agenda spans resilient supply chains, cross-border payments, greater use of national currencies, development of micro, small and medium enterprises, digital trade and artificial intelligence.

Energy security, climate resilience, development finance, expansion of the New Development Bank and reform of global institutions are also expected to feature in discussions.

This is India’s fourth BRICS chairmanship, following its presidencies in 2012, 2016 and 2021.

During its first presidency, India proposed a South-financed multilateral development bank, contributing to the establishment of the New Development Bank in 2014. The 2016 Goa Summit widened the agenda to counter-terrorism, regional connectivity and collective security.

India hosted the 2021 summit virtually during the COVID-19 pandemic, with public health, economic recovery and diplomatic consensus among its priorities.

Putin-Modi talks scheduled before summit

Xi’s confirmation follows the announcement of Putin’s visit, adding to the diplomatic activity surrounding the gathering.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Putin and Modi were scheduled to hold a bilateral meeting on Friday, September 11, ahead of the summit. Their discussions would cover bilateral relations, including trade and economic cooperation.

With Putin’s meeting scheduled and Xi’s attendance confirmed, New Delhi will host engagements whose significance could extend well beyond the BRICS agenda. For India-China relations, the immediate focus will be whether Xi’s return produces an opportunity for substantive talks between the two leaders.

With inputs from ANI