India
oi-Swastika Sruti
It is confirmed that China President Xi Jinping will be visiting India to attend the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi on September 12 and 13. The participation of Xi Jinping was confirmed by China on Thursday after many days of speculation over whether he will visit India for the important summit.
China’s President Xi Jinping will attend the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi on September 12-13. This marks his first India visit since the 2020 Galwan Valley clashes, occurring as the two nations attempt to stabilize their relationship.
The importance of the visit can be attributed not only to the BRICS summit but also to the fact that it will be President Xi’s first visit to India after the souring of ties between the two countries due to Galwan Valley clashes in 2020.
China Confirms Xi Jinping’s India Visit
The Foreign Ministry of China officially confirmed the visit, stating that Xi Jinping will join the BRICS Summit in New Delhi at the invitation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The confirmation ends speculations on the attendance of Xi Jinping at the summit, which India is hosting on September 12 and 13.
For New Delhi, the visit will definitely draw attention, as both countries continue trying to handle their complex relations.
First India Visit Since the Galwan Clash
Xi’s last visit to India was in October 2019, when he met Prime Minister Narendra Modi for an informal summit in Mamallapuram near Chennai. The relationship changed sharply months later after the deadly Galwan Valley clash between Indian and Chinese troops in eastern Ladakh in June 2020.
The border confrontation resulted in casualties on both sides and triggered a prolonged military standoff along the Line of Actual Control.
Since then, India and China have held several rounds of military and diplomatic talks to reduce tensions along the border.
Xi’s return to India therefore carries significance beyond the BRICS agenda. It comes at a time when both countries are trying to stabilise ties while continuing to deal with unresolved border concerns.
Xi Has Visited India Twice Before
The upcoming visit will be Xi’s fourth trip to India.
Before his 2019 visit, he travelled to Goa in 2016 to attend the BRICS Summit hosted by India. His first visit to India came in September 2014, shortly after Modi became Prime Minister. Xi held extensive discussions with Modi during that visit.
The latest trip will thus be his first visit to Indian soil since the relationship entered its most difficult phase in recent years.
What Will the BRICS Summit Discuss?
The two-day summit will focus on issues that affect the economies and security of the wider developing world. Under India’s chairship, the BRICS agenda has focused on four broad themes:
- Resilience
- Innovation
- Cooperation
- Sustainability
Discussions are expected to cover food and energy security, healthcare, disaster management and critical supply chains.
These issues have become increasingly important as countries deal with wars, trade disruptions, tariff disputes and uncertainty in global markets.
Putin, Pezeshkian and Other Leaders Expected in Delhi
Xi will be among several prominent leaders attending the summit.
Russian President Vladimir Putin, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa and Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto are also expected to participate.
Their presence makes the meeting important at a time when conflicts in Europe and West Asia are directly affecting energy supplies, trade and global diplomacy.
Will BRICS Reach a Joint Statement?
One of the key questions ahead of the summit is whether the member countries will agree on a joint declaration. BRICS decisions are based on consensus, which can make negotiations difficult when member states have sharply different positions on major international issues.
Differences between Iran and the UAE over developments in West Asia could make negotiations particularly challenging.
A common statement would therefore require members to find language acceptable to countries with different strategic interests and foreign policy positions.
How BRICS Has Expanded
BRICS began as a grouping of Brazil, Russia, India and China before South Africa joined in 2011. The grouping expanded significantly in 2024, bringing Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, the UAE and Saudi Arabia into the bloc. Indonesia became a member in 2025.
The group has also developed a partner-country category, with Belarus, Bolivia, Kazakhstan, Cuba, Malaysia, Nigeria, Thailand, Uganda, Uzbekistan and Vietnam among the countries added as partners in 2025.
The expansion has transformed BRICS from a relatively small grouping of emerging economies into a much larger platform representing a significant share of the developing world.
