Xi Jinping’s India Visit for BRICS Summit May Set Stage for Modi Bilateral Meeting

· Chinese President Xi Jinping is expected to arrive in New Delhi on Saturday for the 18th BRICS Leaders’ Summit, with a potential bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 12 September 2026.

· First bilateral talks in India since Galwan: If held, the meeting would be the first face-to-face bilateral talks between Xi and Modi on Indian soil since the 2020 Galwan Valley clash.

· Significance for India-China ties: The proposed meeting comes as both countries seek to consolidate a cautious thaw after years of:

o Military confrontation along the Line of Actual Control (LAC);

o Diplomatic strain; and

o Declining bilateral economic engagement.

· SCO meeting: Modi and Xi recently met at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, where they shared the stage and shook hands, but no formal bilateral meeting took place.

· Xi’s first India visit in seven years: The BRICS Summit would mark Xi Jinping’s first visit to India since 2019 and his first since the 2020 border crisis.

· No official confirmation yet: Neither New Delhi nor Beijing has formally confirmed the proposed Modi-Xi bilateral agenda.

· Diplomatic importance: A bilateral meeting could be an important step towards stabilising India-China relations, particularly following the prolonged border tensions.

· 18th BRICS Summit: India is hosting the 18th BRICS Leaders’ Summit in New Delhi on 12–13 September 2026, with Prime Minister Modi receiving leaders from BRICS members and partner countries.

· Major leaders attending: The summit is expected to bring together:

o Vladimir Putin – Russia

o Xi Jinping – China

o Masoud Pezeshkian – Iran

o Cyril Ramaphosa – South Africa

o Alexander Lukashenko – Belarus

o Abdel Fattah el-Sisi – Egypt

o Kassym-Jomart Tokayev – Kazakhstan

o Prabowo Subianto – Indonesia

· Broader significance: Xi’s visit and a possible Modi-Xi meeting could give fresh momentum to India-China diplomatic engagement and economic relations, while also adding strategic weight to India’s hosting of the expanded BRICS grouping.

[ABS News Service/10.09.2026]

Chinese President Xi Jinping is set to arrive in New Delhi on Saturday for the 18th BRICS Leaders' Summit, paving the way for a potential bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on September 12, according to an India Today report. The encounter would mark their first face-to-face bilateral talks on Indian soil since the deadly 2020 Galwan Valley clash.

The impending engagement carries immense diplomatic weight as both Asian giants attempt to consolidate a cautious thaw following years of severe military standoff along the Line of Actual Control, diplomatic estrangement, and a sharp downturn in bilateral economic engagement.

While the two leaders briefly shared the stage and exchanged a handshake at the recent Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan no formal bilateral dialogue took place there. The upcoming Summit hosted by India on September 12-13 marks Xi’s first visit to the country in seven years and his first since the border crisis erupted in 2020.

Though neither New Delhi nor Beijing has issued a formal statement confirming the high-stakes agenda, India Today reported that diplomatic observers are closely watching the development as a crucial step toward stabilising relations across the region.

World leaders, senior government officials, and international delegations from 11 member countries and partner nations are converging in New Delhi as Prime Minister Narendra Modi hosts the 18th BRICS Summit this week.

The high-profile gathering highlights the diplomatic clout of the expanded bloc, drawing heavyweights including Russian President Vladimir Putin, Chinese President Xi Jinping, and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian.

The lineup of leaders attending the two-day summit also features South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, and Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto