New Delhi
oi-Swastika Sruti
Amid the high level bilateral talks in BRICS Summit 2026, more than 50 members of the Tibetan Youth Congress were detained by Delhi Police on Saturday while protesting against Chinese Xi Jinping’s participation in the Summit.
On Saturday, Delhi Police detained over 50 Tibetan Youth Congress members protesting Chinese President Xi Jinping’s participation in the BRICS Summit 2026 held at Bharat Mandapam.
The protesters gathered to oppose Xi’s presence at the summit and also objected to his participation in the dinner and cultural programme being held at Bharat Mandapam, where the two-day summit is taking place.
The detentions came as security was tightened across the national capital for the high-profile gathering of global leaders.
Tibetan Youth Congress Members Detained
It is estimated that over 50 members of the Tibetan Youth Congress have been arrested by the police in Delhi. The protestors chanted slogans against the Chinese delegation as well as called for the end of Chinese domination in Tibet. The whole agitation was being centered upon the visit of Xi to New Delhi for the BRICS summit.
दिल्ली में कल रात भारत मंडपम के बाहर तिब्बती यूथ कांग्रेस और स्टूडेंट्स फॉर ए फ्री तिब्बत ने प्रोटेस्ट किया। “Xi Jinping = Genocide” का बैनर लेकर चीनी राष्ट्रपति शी जिनपिंग के भारत आने का विरोध किया। दिल्ली पुलिस ने करीब 50 प्रोटेस्टर हिरासत में लिए। pic.twitter.com/2KhGT7FYDH
— Sachin Gupta (@Sachingupta) September 13, 2026
The protests also included the opposition to the Chinese leader attending the dinner program organized at Bharat Mandapam.
Protests Held Amid Tight Security
These protests took place as Delhi was on high alert due to the BRICS Summit.
Security measures were enforced at Bharat Mandapam and a number of other key sites. Security personnel were posted near the site of the BRICS Summit and the routes that had been followed by the visiting dignitaries.
As the activists protesting near the summit site, police took action and arrested the Tibetan activists.
Earlier Protest Against Xi’s Visit
Saturday’s detention was not the first protest in Delhi linked to Xi Jinping’s visit.
Activists from Students for a Free Tibet (SFT) had also been detained in the national capital in the days leading up to the Chinese president’s arrival.
According to the organisation, four Tibetan nationals were detained near the Pragati Maidan tunnel after staging a protest against the Chinese delegation.
Banners Unfurled Near Summit Venue
The activists allegedly unfurled banners near Bharat Mandapam and raised slogans calling for a free Tibet. Their demonstrations were aimed at drawing attention to the Tibet issue during Xi’s visit to India and his participation in the BRICS Summit.
The protests also sought to publicly challenge the presence of the Chinese delegation in New Delhi.
Xi Jinping’s India Visit Draws Attention
Xi’s visit is particularly significant as it is his first trip to India in seven years. He arrived in New Delhi on Saturday and attended the BRICS Summit before holding a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The visit comes against the backdrop of tensions between India and China following the 2020 Galwan Valley clash and the subsequent military standoff along the Line of Actual Control.
While the summit has focused on global and economic issues, Xi’s presence in the capital has also brought renewed attention to Tibet-related protests and the wider political sensitivities surrounding China.
