Seven years later, Xi Jinping is back in Delhi with BRICS and India-China relations in focus. (Img: X)
New Delhi: Chinese President Xi Jinping landed in India on Saturday to attend the 18th BRICS Summit, setting the stage for a closely watched meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi after nearly seven years. Xi’s return comes at a crucial point for India-China ties, with both sides seeking to stabilise relations after years of border tensions, while Beijing is pushing a stronger Global South and BRICS agenda.
The arrival of Xi Jinping in New Delhi has become one of the biggest diplomatic developments surrounding the 18th BRICS Summit. The visit comes at a politically sensitive time for the two Asian powers. India and China have spent years managing tensions along the Line of Actual Control, while simultaneously trying to prevent differences on the border from disrupting the broader relationship.
The Modi-Xi meeting is being watched for more than its BRICS significance. Any signal on bilateral engagement, border stability, economic relations and future political communication could shape the next phase of India-China ties.
Xi travelled to New Delhi at Modi's invitation to attend the BRICS summit. His delegation includes some of China's most senior officials, including Cai Qi and Foreign Minister Wang Yi, highlighting the importance Beijing attaches to the visit.
Xi Jinping in Delhi After 7 Years: What His Modi Meeting Means for India @BricsIndia2026 @PMOIndia @narendramodi @XisMoments #IndiaChinahttps://t.co/Oj7jeOC6Nf
— Dynamite News (@DynamiteNews_) September 12, 2026
The central question for New Delhi is whether the latest high-level engagement can turn the recent stabilisation of relations into a more sustained process. India and China remain major economic powers and important players in Asia, but their relationship has been complicated by the border dispute, security concerns, trade issues and wider strategic competition.
The border remains a core concern for India. At the same time, maintaining channels of communication is important for managing disagreements and preventing tensions from escalating. A direct Modi-Xi interaction provides an opportunity for the two leaders to assess the state of the relationship and exchange views on regional and global developments.
The meeting will also be watched for its tone and messaging. Diplomatic signals, references to border peace, economic cooperation and continued dialogue could offer clues about how New Delhi and Beijing intend to manage their relationship going forward.
Xi's return to India comes nearly seven years after his last visit. The two leaders met during the second India-China Informal Summit in Mamallapuram in 2019. Since then, the relationship has gone through one of its most difficult phases in decades.
Military tensions along the LAC dramatically changed the strategic environment between the two countries. The subsequent diplomatic and military engagement has focused heavily on maintaining stability along the border. The current visit therefore represents an important change in the diplomatic backdrop.
It does not mean that all India-China differences have disappeared. Instead, it indicates that both sides continue to see value in direct engagement and structured dialogue.
New Delhi: Chinese President Xi Jinping arrives in New Delhi to attend the 18th BRICS Summit. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Xi are also expected to hold a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the summit.@BricsIndia2026@PMOIndia@MEAIndia@narendramodi… pic.twitter.com/EQgVt1EULS
— Dynamite News (@DynamiteNews_) September 12, 2026
Xi is not coming to India only for bilateral discussions. China is also using the BRICS platform to promote a wider vision for cooperation among developing and emerging economies.
Beijing has repeatedly presented BRICS as an important platform for the Global South, particularly at a time of geopolitical uncertainty, economic fragmentation and changing global power equations.
China is expected to support greater practical cooperation among BRICS members in areas including technology, artificial intelligence, digital development, green growth, agriculture and poverty reduction. Beijing has also promoted the BRICS Plus framework, which expands engagement with countries beyond the core membership.
For India, this creates both an opportunity and a strategic challenge. New Delhi wants BRICS to strengthen the voice of the Global South, but it also wants the grouping to remain balanced, practical and focused on development rather than geopolitical confrontation.
China has been a major force behind the expansion of BRICS and has strongly supported greater participation by emerging economies. Beijing has also backed the New Development Bank, headquartered in Shanghai, which finances infrastructure and development projects in member and developing countries.
China's BRICS approach combines economic cooperation with development, technology, sustainability, security and global governance. The expanded BRICS membership has significantly increased the group's global footprint.
The 11 full members are Brazil, China, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Iran, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa and the United Arab Emirates.
BRICS also has 10 partner countries: Belarus, Bolivia, Cuba, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Nigeria, Thailand, Uganda, Uzbekistan and Vietnam. The expansion has strengthened BRICS as a platform connecting major economies across Asia, Africa, the Middle East and Latin America.
Another reason Xi's Delhi visit matters is the upcoming transfer of the BRICS presidency. China will take over the rotating BRICS chair in 2027. This will give Beijing greater scope to shape the group's priorities, institutional development and international outreach.
China is expected to promote its major global initiatives, including the Global Development Initiative, Global Security Initiative, Global Civilization Initiative and Global Governance Initiative.
Artificial intelligence, the digital economy, green development, agriculture and poverty reduction are also expected to feature prominently in China's future BRICS agenda. For India, China's upcoming presidency will make continued engagement within BRICS particularly important.
Xi has arrived with Cai Qi, one of the most influential figures in China's political establishment. Cai is a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China and heads the General Office of the CPC Central Committee. He is widely regarded as one of Xi's closest political associates.
Cai's presence has attracted attention because of his senior position and long association with Xi. The two worked in China's coastal provinces during their earlier political careers, helping establish a relationship that continued as both men rose through the Communist Party hierarchy. Cai later became a member of the Politburo Standing Committee, China's highest-level political decision-making body.
His responsibilities include major areas of policy coordination and implementation, making him an important figure in China's political system. Wang Yi, China's Foreign Minister and a member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, is also part of the delegation. The senior-level composition of Xi's delegation suggests that Beijing considers the India engagement strategically significant.
The Modi-Xi meeting comes after years of tension and a long period of intensive diplomatic and military engagement over the border. The LAC remains one of the most sensitive issues in the relationship. India has consistently stressed the importance of peace and tranquillity along the border as a foundation for broader bilateral ties.
At the same time, both countries have economic interests that make continued engagement difficult to avoid. India and China have extensive commercial links, although the trade relationship is marked by a significant imbalance and concerns about dependence in some sectors.
For New Delhi, the policy challenge is to protect national security while keeping space open for economic engagement and diplomatic dialogue. For Beijing, improving relations with India could reduce friction with a major Asian power and create greater room for cooperation in multilateral forums.
The meeting's most important signals may come from what the two leaders say about the future of bilateral relations. New Delhi will be watching developments related to border stability, military tensions, diplomatic communication and economic engagement.
The two sides will also have an opportunity to discuss regional and international issues of mutual interest. The tone of the meeting will matter. A focus on stability, dialogue and cooperation could reinforce the current effort to improve ties.
However, major differences remain, meaning the meeting should not automatically be interpreted as a complete reset in relations. The more important question is whether the leaders can establish a framework for sustained engagement after the summit.
The Modi-Xi meeting also has implications beyond bilateral relations. India and China are competing for influence across Asia, the Indian Ocean region and the wider Global South. Both countries seek greater representation for developing economies in global institutions, but they often have different strategic priorities.
India is building relationships with the United States, Europe, Japan, Australia, Russia, Southeast Asia and African countries while maintaining its strategic autonomy. China is expanding its influence through BRICS, the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation and other multilateral mechanisms. The interaction between Modi and Xi will therefore be watched as part of a much larger Asian geopolitical picture.
India is hosting the 18th BRICS Summit at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi on September 12 and 13 under its 2026 chairship. The theme of India's BRICS presidency is Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability.
New Delhi is focusing on development, innovation, sustainability, economic resilience and practical cooperation among members. India also wants BRICS to provide a stronger platform for the Global South and support more representative multilateral institutions. Xi's presence gives India an important opportunity to engage directly with China's leadership while advancing its own priorities for the grouping.
The deeper significance of Xi's Delhi visit lies in the growing importance of the Global South. Countries across Asia, Africa, Latin America and the Middle East are seeking greater influence in international decision-making as global economic and geopolitical power becomes more distributed.
Both India and China want to play a leading role in this changing environment. China has promoted BRICS expansion and several international initiatives as part of its Global South outreach. India has also placed the interests of developing countries at the centre of its multilateral diplomacy.
The BRICS Summit therefore becomes a stage where the two Asian powers can cooperate on shared development priorities while competing for diplomatic influence.
For ordinary Indians, the immediate impact of the Modi-Xi meeting may not be visible overnight, but the outcome could affect areas that matter to the economy and national security. India-China trade, investment, supply chains, technology, manufacturing and market access are closely connected to the broader bilateral relationship.
Greater stability could create more predictable conditions for economic engagement, while continued tensions could keep security and supply-chain diversification high on India's policy agenda. Businesses will also watch for any indication of changes in economic engagement between the two countries.
The Modi-Xi meeting will be the key moment to watch as the BRICS Summit progresses. The immediate focus will be on bilateral stability, BRICS cooperation and wider global issues. After the summit, attention will shift to whether the political engagement produces sustained diplomatic communication and concrete progress.
For India, the priority will remain clear: engage China where cooperation is possible while protecting national security and strategic interests. For China, stronger relations with India could support its wider BRICS strategy and help create a more stable environment in Asia.
Xi's return to Delhi after nearly seven years is more than a diplomatic visit. It is a potentially important marker in the evolving India-China relationship, the future of BRICS and the larger contest for influence across the Global South.
