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 India in seven years. The visit comes at a significant moment in India-China relations, following years of military and diplomatic tensions.
Xi’s last visit to India was in October 2019, when he met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Mamallapuram, Tamil Nadu. His upcoming visit comes after both countries took steps to ease tensions following the 2020 border clash and subsequent military standoff along the Line of Actual Control.
A meeting between Xi and Modi is expected to focus on strengthening bilateral ties, with trade, market access, investment, visas and border management likely to feature in discussions. The two sides are also working towards a strategic economic dialogue aimed at addressing some of the longstanding economic challenges between India and China.
Recent efforts to stabilise relations have included the resumption of direct flights, easing of some visa restrictions and the revival of the Kailash Mansarovar pilgrimage. However, significant differences remain, particularly over border security, investment and strategic trust.
Xi’s participation is also important for the BRICS Summit, which India will host in New Delhi on September 12 and 13. Russian President Vladimir Putin and other leaders are also expected to attend as the expanded BRICS grouping faces growing geopolitical and economic challenges.
The visit could provide a fresh opportunity for India and China to manage differences, strengthen economic engagement and explore a more stable framework for bilateral relations. However, analysts caution that major breakthroughs may remain difficult because of the trust deficit between the two countries.
