Xi Jinping Skips BRICS Dinner Hosted by PM Modi, Cites Fatigue

Chinese President Xi Jinping was among the BRICS leaders who did not attend a dinner hosted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the first evening of the summit, people familiar with the matter said.

Xi had landed in Delhi on Saturday afternoon and took part in the BRICS Summit, including a bilateral meeting with PM Modi. He skipped the dinner because he was tired and exhausted owing to the time difference, those with direct knowledge of the matter said, noting that he had attended the day's engagements after a long flight.

Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed was also among those who did not join the dinner.

Russian President Vladimir Putin and other BRICS leaders attended the dinner, which was also joined by Union ministers and chief ministers of several states. Among those present were Amit Shah, Nirmala Sitharaman, Piyush Goyal, Ashwini Vaishnaw and Shivraj Singh Chouhan, along with Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla. Chief Ministers Yogi Adityanath, Devendra Fadnavis, Suvendu Adhikari and Himanta Biswa Sarma also attended. The ministers and chief ministers travelled in two buses from Parliament House to Bharat Mandapam in central Delhi for the dinner.

The two-day BRICS Summit concludes today, with leaders of 11 member countries and 10 partner countries, besides some international organisations, participating.

PM Modi is scheduled to hold bilateral meetings with leaders from seven countries on the final day. On the opening day, PM Modi and Xi reviewed India-China ties and exchanged perspectives. A statement by the Ministry of External Affairs said the two leaders stressed that differences should not become disputes and reiterated that both nations ought to adopt a strategic and long-term outlook regarding their relationship.

The statement said the two leaders welcomed the steady progress in India-China bilateral relations since their last meeting in Tianjin in August 2025. It said the Prime Minister highlighted that both sides must be guided by three mutuals — mutual respect, mutual sensitivity and mutual interest.