Chinese President Xi Jinping is scheduled to visit India on September 12 and 13 to attend the upcoming BRICS summit, marking his first visit to the country in nearly seven years. The trip is being viewed as a significant development amid recent efforts to improve relations between Beijing and New Delhi.
A member of the BRICS summit organizing committee told Reuters on Monday that Chinese officials are currently working on arrangements for Xi’s visit, including finalizing hotel accommodations and security protocols.
Xi last visited India in 2019 to attend the BRICS summit. At the time, he was accompanied by a delegation of around 200 people. The Chinese delegation for this year’s visit could reportedly be nearly twice as large, with around 400 members expected to travel to India.
Relations between India and China deteriorated sharply following the 2020 border clash between troops from the two countries in Ladakh. The confrontation marked the beginning of a prolonged period of tension between New Delhi and Beijing.
In recent years, however, both sides have taken steps toward stabilizing their bilateral relationship. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Beijing last year, marking his first trip to China in seven years since 2018. His visit was followed by signs of renewed engagement between the two countries.
India and China continue to have significant differences over border disputes and regional security. Beijing maintains territorial claims over parts of Arunachal Pradesh and Ladakh, while New Delhi rejects those claims. Against this backdrop, a possible bilateral meeting between Xi and Modi on the sidelines of the BRICS summit could provide an opportunity to discuss outstanding issues.
However, a meeting between the two leaders has not yet been officially confirmed.
A Chinese Foreign Ministry official said Beijing attaches great importance to BRICS and actively participates in its activities. The official also expressed China’s full support for India’s efforts to successfully host the summit.
Reuters contacted India’s Ministry of External Affairs regarding Xi’s planned visit, but a ministry spokesperson declined to comment.
Source: Reuters