Xi Jinping will visit India to attend the BRICS Summit in New Delhi starting September 12, China confirmed on Thursday, ending days of heightened suspense over his attendance. This marks the Chinese President's first visit to India after 7 years.
"At the invitation of Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, Chinese President Xi Jinping will attend the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi from September 12 to 13," the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement.
First visit since Galwan clashes
This will mark Xi’s first visit to India in nearly seven years.
Xi last visited India in 2019 for an informal summit with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Mamallapuram near Chennai. The visit was followed by a deterioration in bilateral ties after the 2020 Galwan Valley border clashes.
He had earlier travelled to India in 2016 to attend the BRICS summit in Goa. His first visit to the country came in September 2014, when he held extensive talks with Modi during the first terms of both leaders in office.
BRICS India Summit
The two-day BRICS summit, hosted by India from Saturday, will focus on strengthening collective resilience in areas including food, energy, healthcare, disaster management and critical supply chains, as the grouping seeks to play a greater role in navigating an increasingly fragmented geopolitical landscape.
The summit in New Delhi comes against the backdrop of mounting challenges to the global economy, including the Russia-Ukraine war, the West Asia crisis and the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, as well as the trade and tariff policies of the Trump administration.
Besides Xi Jinping, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, Russian President Vladimir Putin, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa and Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto are among the prominent leaders set to attend the meeting.
With three days to go before the summit, it remains unclear whether the member countries have reached a consensus on a joint statement. Differences between Iran and the United Arab Emirates over the West Asia crisis could complicate efforts, particularly as BRICS operates on the principle of consensus.
About BRICS grouping
Originally comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, BRICS expanded in 2024 to include Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, the UAE and Saudi Arabia. Indonesia joined the grouping in 2025.
Belarus, Bolivia, Kazakhstan, Cuba, Malaysia, Nigeria, Thailand, Uganda, Uzbekistan and Vietnam were added as partner countries last year.
BRICS has emerged as an influential grouping of major emerging economies, with its 11 members accounting for around 49.5 per cent of the world's population, 40 per cent of global GDP and 26 per cent of global trade.
Under India's chairship, the grouping's agenda has centred on four key pillars: Resilience, innovation, cooperation and sustainability.
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