As Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in India after seven years, all eyes turned to his much-anticipated bilateral meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, with arrangements for the talks now finalized.
“The question now is: has the situation reached a point where the two Asian powers, which have strained relations, will finally move closer?”
The biggest rupture in India-China relations came after a deadly clash in the Galwan Valley in Ladakh in 2020. The incident triggered a period of severe tensions between the two countries and seriously affected their trade and diplomatic ties. Analysts say Modi-Xi meeting at BRICS might prove a turning point.
BRICS 2026 Summit:
India is hosting the two-day BRICS 2026 Summit in New Delhi. Leaders of member and partner countries, including Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chinese President Xi Jinping, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, are meeting at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi on September 12–13.
The summit is taking place under the theme “Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability.”
Analysts believe the ongoing war in the Middle East has already overshadowed the summit.
Modi-Xi Meeting at BRICS:
However, Xi’s arrival in India after seven years carries key significance. His plane landed at Palam Air Base. The Chinese president last visited India in 2019, when he held an informal summit with Prime Minister Modi at Mamallapuram near Chennai.
According to BBC Urdu, Chinese Ambassador to India Zhu Feihong said preparations were underway for an expected bilateral meeting between Xi and Modi. Analysts are closely watching whether the two Asian powers can begin to thaw relations, particularly as both face difficulties in their trade relations with the United States.
Xi also arrived in India with leading investors, according to reports. As the summit continues, reports say the participating countries have agreed on a joint declaration.
Meanwhile, shortly before Xi’s arrival, China Southern Airlines announced the resumption of direct flights between China and India after a six-year suspension. According to reports, flights between Guangzhou and New Delhi will resume on September 21.
BRICS Joint Declaration:
According to Reuters, the BRICS countries have agreed on a joint declaration. Quoting sources, the news agency reported that the declaration is unlikely to name any country but will condemn unilateral war by any country.
Reuters also reported that BRICS representatives made efforts to bridge differences between Iran and the United Arab Emirates in an attempt to produce a consensus declaration.
BRICS Member Countries: Brazil, China, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Iran, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa and the United Arab Emirates.
BRICS Partner Countries: Belarus, Bolivia, Cuba, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Nigeria, Thailand, Uganda, Uzbekistan and Vietnam.
