Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in New Delhi on September 12 to attend the 18th BRICS Summit, marking his first visit to India in seven years. He received a red-carpet welcome at the airport, with traditional Indian cultural performances held for his arrival.
Xi’s arrival comes ahead of his scheduled bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the sidelines of the summit. The talks are expected to focus on strengthening bilateral ties, managing differences and expanding areas of cooperation.
At the airport, Xi was received by Union Minister of State for Commerce and Industry Jitin Prasada before leaving for his hotel in a specially secured convoy.
The visit is significant as Xi’s last trip to India was in 2019, when he met Modi for an informal summit in Mamallapuram. His latest visit comes as New Delhi and Beijing seek a cautious improvement in ties following the tensions triggered by the 2020 Galwan Valley clash.
The BRICS Summit is being held in New Delhi on September 12 and 13, with trade, investment, global economic cooperation and geopolitical issues among the key areas of discussion.
