Jagran Bureau, New Delhi | After seven years of ups and downs in India-China relations, Chinese President Xi Jinping is arriving in India on September 12 to participate in the BRICS summit 2026. He is set to receive a warm welcome in New Delhi.

There are indications that he will have a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on September 12 and will discuss measures to increase mutual trust to enhance bilateral relations.

On Thursday, the Chinese Foreign Ministry issued an official statement saying that on the invitation of PM Modi, President Xi Jinping will visit India on September 12-13 to participate in the 18th BRICS Summit.

ALSO READ: One Platform, 11 Countries: BRICS Members' Diplomatic Interests, India's Strategy And Trump's Anxiety Explained

President Xi Jinping had earlier visited Mamallapuram (Chennai) in the year 2019 for discussions with PM Modi. India has stated that Xi Jinping will arrive in India on the afternoon of September 12 and will depart after the summit on September 13. He will be accompanied by a large delegation of senior Chinese officials.

All Eyes On Bilateral Meeting Between President Xi Jinping And MP Modi

According to sources, this delegation will be significantly larger than the 2019 visit. Officials from both countries said they are making every effort to make this visit, taking place after seven years, a historic one. The bilateral meeting between PM Modi and Xi Jinping will cover a wide range of topics, from border disputes to trade imbalances. There will also be discussion on the future of multilateral organisations like BRICS and the SCO.

Key Meeting Amid Strained Ties

The dispute erupted after the Chinese military intruded into eastern Ladakh in May-June 2020, just months after President Xi's visit to India in 2019. Relations between the two countries became increasingly strained. Following the border clash, India imposed various restrictions on Chinese companies and banned TikTok and other Chinese apps. In response, China restricted the supply of certain raw materials to India.

Despite several frictions in economic relations, bilateral trade remained relatively unchanged. Three meetings between Xi Jinping and Modi in subsequent years (in Kazan, Tianjin, and Bishkek) have helped gradually restore relations.

ALSO READ: Bangladesh PM Tarique Rahman Not To Attend BRICS Summit In New Delhi Despite Being Invited As BIMSTEC Chair

Following this, a special meeting was held between the two countries to resolve the border dispute. Military commanders on both sides of the Arunachal Pradesh border recently met for two consecutive days.

A day earlier, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said relations between the two countries were moving in a positive direction. He described people-to-people contact and visa-related issues as important parts of normalisation.

Meanwhile, China is clearly trying to strengthen its economic and trade ties with India, as evidenced by articles published in the Chinese government mouthpiece, the Global Times, ahead of the visit.

India-China Trade

The Chinese side is calling trade "mutually beneficial and win-win" and demanding a fair environment for Chinese companies in the Indian market. A major concern for India is the growing trade deficit with China, while Beijing is not opening its markets sufficiently to Indian exports.

India-China bilateral trade totalled approximately USD 151 billion in fiscal year 2025-26, with India registering a trade deficit of approximately USD 112 billion. India's imports from China exceeded USD 131 billion, while exports were only about UDS 19.5 billion.

(With Jagran.com Inputs)

You May Also Like To Watch