China has confirmed that President Xi Jinping will travel to New Delhi to attend the 18th BRICS Summit on September 12 and 13, 2026. His participation was announced by the Chinese side following an invitation from Prime Minister Narendra Modi, bringing the Chinese leader back to India after a gap of seven years.
Xi’s visit comes at an important stage in India-China relations. The two countries have been gradually rebuilding diplomatic engagement after years of heightened tensions along the Line of Actual Control. The relationship deteriorated sharply following the 2020 border confrontation in eastern Ladakh, but subsequent discussions have helped create space for renewed engagement.
The upcoming BRICS meeting could provide a significant platform for Prime Minister Modi and President Xi to take stock of this progress. The two leaders are expected to hold discussions on the sidelines of the summit, with bilateral issues including the border situation and economic relations likely to receive attention. Reports indicate that both countries are also considering mechanisms to expand economic dialogue and address difficulties affecting trade and investment.
Xi’s return to India is particularly notable because his previous visit was in October 2019, when he met Modi in Mamallapuram for an informal summit. The two leaders also met in Kazan in 2024 during the BRICS Summit hosted by Russia. That interaction was followed by further efforts to reduce military tensions along the LAC.
Beyond the bilateral relationship, Xi’s presence is expected to add weight to the BRICS Summit itself. India is hosting the gathering at a time when the expanded grouping is dealing with major geopolitical and economic challenges. The summit will bring together leaders from BRICS countries to discuss international cooperation, economic issues and wider global developments.
The international environment surrounding this year’s summit is particularly complex. Conflicts and tensions in different regions, changing global trade policies and competition among major powers are likely to influence discussions among BRICS members. India is also attempting to maintain its strategic relationships with several major powers while using the BRICS platform to strengthen cooperation among emerging economies.
For New Delhi and Beijing, however, the most closely watched aspect of the visit will be the direction of bilateral relations. While diplomatic contacts have increased and some restrictions affecting travel, trade and business engagement have eased, significant differences remain between the two countries. Economic cooperation continues to face regulatory and security concerns, while the unresolved boundary question remains a central issue.
Xi Jinping’s visit therefore represents more than a routine appearance at a multilateral summit. It gives India and China an opportunity to maintain high-level communication and assess whether recent improvements in relations can be translated into broader and more stable cooperation.
With the BRICS Summit taking place in New Delhi on September 12–13, the Modi-Xi engagement is likely to be one of the most closely followed diplomatic developments during the gathering. The outcome could provide further indications of how India-China relations evolve in the months ahead.
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