BRICS 2026: Chinese President Xi Jinping is set to visit India from September 12 to 13, following an invitation from Prime Minister Narendra Modi. China officially announced the visit on Thursday, confirming that Xi is travelling to India to attend the 18th BRICS Summit. The development is closely watched as this marks Xi Jinping's first visit to India in nearly seven years.

Xi To Attend BRICS Summit In Delhi

According to reports, PM Modi and Xi will hold a bilateral meeting on Saturday, the first day of the summit. The meeting will be significant given the prolonged freeze in high-level diplomatic engagement between the two countries. Until Thursday, there was intense speculation regarding Xi’s participation in the Summit, as Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun also didn’t provide a definitive answer on the Chinese President’s visit.

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However, later in the evening, the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed that President Xi will attend the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi. But the delayed announcement also raised questions about whether the visit was a last-minute decision and why it had not been communicated earlier. Amid these speculations, a report has emerged, stating that Beijing had formally informed India of Xi’s upcoming visit weeks in advance.

67-Member Delegation To Arrive In India

According to Jagran.com, citing sources, a 67-member government delegation is accompanying Xi to India. The delegation includes Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Cai Qi, a member of the Standing Committee of the Politburo of the Communist Party of China (CPC) who is considered a close associate of Xi.

Additionally, a separate business delegation is also coming to India. Xi is scheduled to arrive at 12:10 pm on Saturday and depart at 12:10 on Sunday. According to reports, Xi will arrive at Bharat Mandapam around 2 pm on Saturday, where PM Modi will welcome him. Following this, the two leaders will participate in a bilateral meeting, the BRICS closed-door session, and a dinner hosted by the Prime Minister at 7:30 pm.

Strengthening Ties Between India And China

Xi’s visit comes at a time when a positive shift has been observed in India-China relations following the BRICS summit held in Kazan, Russia in 2024. The meeting between the two leaders in Kazan paved the way to resolve the 2020 military standoff in Eastern Ladakh and easing tensions between the two countries.

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