BEIJING: Chinese President Xi Jinping will attend the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi from September 12 to 13, China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed on Thursday, paving the way for a closely watched India-China engagement on the sidelines of the high-profile multilateral gathering.
The Chinese Foreign Ministry, in an official statement, said Xi would travel to India at the invitation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to participate in the summit. “At the invitation of Prime Minister of the Republic of India Narendra Modi, President Xi Jinping will attend the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi from September 12 to 13,” the statement said.
The confirmation ends weeks of uncertainty over Beijing’s representation at the summit and comes amid signs of renewed diplomatic engagement between New Delhi and Beijing. India is hosting the BRICS Leaders’ Summit at Bharat Mandapam on September 12 and 13, with the expanded grouping expected to deliberate on a wide range of issues, including trade and financial cooperation, technology, artificial intelligence, energy security, climate action and reforms of global institutions.
Xi’s visit assumes particular diplomatic significance as it would mark his first trip to India since his informal meeting with Prime Minister Modi in Mamallapuram in 2019 during the second India-China Informal Summit.
The Chinese President’s visit also comes against the backdrop of sustained efforts by New Delhi and Beijing to stabilise bilateral ties following years of tensions along the Line of Actual Control. Both sides have in recent months pursued diplomatic and military-level engagements aimed at easing tensions and improving bilateral relations.
Any interaction between Prime Minister Modi and President Xi on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit is therefore expected to draw considerable international attention, with the two countries’ bilateral ties and broader regional and global issues likely to figure prominently in discussions.
