In a historic move, the Chinese President Xi Jinping is likely to attend the BRICS summit in New Delhi on 12-13 September with a large delegation, Reuters reported, citing three sources. It would be his first visit to India in seven years and could signal improving ties between the two countries.
Indian sources said Chinese officials are finalising hotel and security arrangements, with Xi expected to bring around 400 officials. The summit could provide an opportunity for India and China to strengthen engagement while managing differences over the border and regional security (see p3 for more).
Xi’s final travel plans and any bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi are yet to be confirmed. China’s Foreign Ministry said Beijing supports India’s BRICS presidency but had no information on Xi’s visit.
India and China share a disputed 3,800-km Himalayan border, with ties strained by the 2020 clashes. Although the 2024 disengagement agreement eased the military standoff, tensions remain. Recent patrol incidents have highlighted the need for continued border dialogue, with NSA Ajit Doval in Beijing for talks with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi.
Meanwhile, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has held talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow and said Modi looks forward to meeting Putin at the SCO summit, followed by the Russian President’s visit to India for the BRICS summit. Putin is expected to join other BRICS leaders in New Delhi, adding significance to India’s engagement with both China and Russia.
Against this backdrop, Xi’s possible visit could signal that India and China are seeking greater engagement despite unresolved differences and growing US trade pressure.
Doval, Han Zheng discuss India-China border issue
National Security Advisor Ajit Doval met Chinese Vice President Han Zheng in Beijing ahead of the 25th round of Special Representatives’ talks on the India-China boundary dispute.
Doval arrived in Beijing for a two-day visit at the invitation of Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi. His visit comes as India and China seek to stabilise relations, which deteriorated sharply after the 2020 Galwan Valley clash and the prolonged military standoff in eastern Ladakh.
The upcoming talks are expected to focus on resolving the boundary issue, along with broader bilateral, regional and international matters. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said Doval and Wang Yi would hold detailed discussions on the boundary question and other issues of mutual interest.
China called the Special Representatives’ dialogue the main platform for negotiating the boundary dispute and maintaining communication between the two countries. Beijing said both sides would follow understandings reached by their leaders and work to keep the border areas peaceful.
India, China seek pragmatic reset ahead of BRICS
Chinese President Xi Jinping is likely to attend the BRICS summit in New Delhi on 12-13 September with a large delegation, the Reuters reported, in an exclusive. It would be his first visit to India in seven years and could signal a further improvement in bilateral ties.
China’s Foreign Ministry has backed India’s BRICS presidency but has not confirmed Xi’s travel plans. His possible visit comes as the two countries work to stabilise relations strained by the 2020 Galwan Valley clash and the prolonged military standoff along the Line of Actual Control (LAC).
The October 2024 disengagement agreement helped ease tensions, followed by meetings between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Xi at international summits. However, the border dispute remains unresolved, with recent patrol encounters highlighting the fragility of the thaw.
Diplomatically, India and China are now pursuing what can be described as a cautious “competitive coexistence”, combining efforts to restore dialogue and economic engagement with continued strategic caution. Following the sharp deterioration in ties after the Galwan clash, both sides have gradually rebuilt high-level communication. National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi have remained involved in structured talks aimed at managing the boundary dispute and preventing tensions along the LAC from spilling over into other areas of the relationship.
The two countries have also taken steps to restore people-to-people and economic links. Direct flights, tourist visas and the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra have resumed after prolonged pandemic- and post-clash disruptions. These measures indicate that New Delhi and Beijing are seeking to normalise selected areas of engagement even while the fundamental border dispute remains unresolved.
India’s diplomatic outreach also includes its ambassador in Beijing, Vikram Doraiswami, who previously served in the UK and played a role during efforts to strengthen India-UK relations at a difficult stage. His experience in managing complex diplomatic relationships comes as New Delhi seeks to navigate a similarly sensitive phase with China.
Against this backdrop, Xi’s possible visit could provide an important opportunity for direct political engagement with Modi. A leader-level meeting could help establish clearer understandings on managing border tensions, while opening space for cooperation in trade, investment and multilateral forums such as BRICS.
Economic engagement is already gaining momentum, with India recently approving 29 FDI proposals worth Rs 4,895 crore (£377 million) under a new route for investors from countries sharing a land border. The proposals cover sectors including IT, artificial intelligence, manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, data centres and transport.
While the government has not specified how many proposals involve Chinese investors, the revised rules could create opportunities for greater investment while retaining safeguards against foreign control of strategic assets.
Xi’s visit, if confirmed, would therefore carry significance beyond the BRICS summit. It would not resolve the border dispute or restore ties to pre-2020 levels, but it could reinforce a more pragmatic relationship in which India and China manage their differences while expanding cooperation where their interests converge.
Washington recalibrates India strategy
With Xi Jinping’s likely visit to India for the BRICS summit, Washington is expected to closely watch deeper India-China engagement. A Modi-Xi meeting could signal New Delhi’s willingness to stabilise ties with Beijing despite the unresolved border dispute. This comes amid growing US-India trade tensions over President Donald Trump’s tariff policies.
US tariff measures against India, including additional duties linked to its Russian oil purchases, have added pressure to bilateral ties and highlighted the limits of Washington’s influence over India’s economic and energy choices. Despite continued negotiations, the tariff pressure has reinforced New Delhi’s preference for independent decision-making.
At the same time, India has continued to pursue independent diplomatic and economic engagement with both Beijing and Moscow. New Delhi is rebuilding communication with China through border talks, while simultaneously expanding economic cooperation with Russia, with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar holding high-level discussions in Moscow. This multi-alignment approach means Washington must continuously recalibrate its expectations of India.
For Washington, Xi’s possible visit would be less a setback than a reminder of India’s strategic autonomy. New Delhi is likely to engage Beijing, maintain ties with Moscow and deepen cooperation with Washington based on its own interests.
A more stable India-China relationship could support regional stability but may also complicate US efforts to reduce dependence on Chinese supply chains. For India, the priority remains balancing strategic partnerships while retaining the freedom to manage ties with China and Russia on its own terms.
