Xi is back in India after 7 years, Modi meeting in focus at BRICS summit

New Delhi: Seven years after his last visit to India, the Chinese president, Xi Jinping, is set to return to New Delhi for the BRICS summit, bringing the India-China relationship back into spotlight at a time when both sides are trying to move beyond years of confrontation. Xi’s visit, confirmed by China’s foreign ministry, is expected to include a meeting with the prime minister, Narendra Modi, on the sidelines of the summit.

Xi will attend the BRICS leaders’ meeting on September 12 and 13 after accepting Modi’s invitation. His presence comes at a significant point in India-China ties, with the two countries having gradually reopened diplomatic and people-to-people channels after the military crisis that followed the 2020 Galwan clash.

Why Xi’s India visit matters

India and China have been working to improve ties after the tensions that began with the 2020 border clash. Talks between the two sides have continued, direct flights have resumed and efforts are underway to restore other exchanges that were disrupted after 2020.

The expected Modi-Xi meeting could provide the clearest indication of how the two governments are prepared to take the current reset. While border stability remains central topic of the relationship, both countries also have an interest in preventing tensions from spilling into their wider diplomatic and economic ties.

The border question is unlikely to remain outside the conversation. The national security advisor, Ajit Doval and the Chinese foreign minister, Wang Yi, held boundary talks in Beijing in August, with both sides agreeing on steps aimed at maintaining peace along the frontier.

The discussions included plans for additional working-level mechanisms and military communication channels, along with cooperation on issues such as border trade, pilgrimage and transboundary rivers.

The next round of the boundary talks is scheduled to be held in India in 2027, signalling that the two sides are attempting to keep the dialogue process moving even as major differences remain unresolved.

India has maintained strict scrutiny of Chinese investments since 2020, particularly through rules requiring government approval for investments from countries sharing a land border with India. Chinese companies have also faced tax, foreign exchange and regulatory investigations.

The latest point of friction is Xiaomi. China has urged India to provide a fair and transparent business environment for Chinese companies after the serious fraud investigation office recommended a detailed investigation involving the technology company, South China Morning Post reported.

BRICS gives Modi and Xi another platform

Xi’s visit will also place India-China engagement within a larger BRICS setting. The summit will bring together leaders including the Russian president, Vladimir Putin, and the Iranian president, Masoud Pezeshkian, giving New Delhi a major platform for discussions on the evolving global order.

China has welcomed India’s leadership of BRICS and said it supports New Delhi’s efforts to successfully host the summit. Beijing has also continued to promote BRICS as a platform for cooperation among emerging economies and countries of the Global South.

Xi’s India visit comes amid a series of high-level engagements abroad. He recently travelled to Kyrgyzstan and Egypt and is expected to visit Washington later this month for talks with the United States president, Donald Trump.