Xi Jinping Arrives in Delhi for BRICS Summit, Security Scaled Up Across Capital

Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in the national capital on Saturday for a one-day visit to attend the BRICS Summit, his first trip to India in seven years. He was received at the airport by Union Minister of State Jitin Prasada.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to hold bilateral talks with Xi on Saturday evening, with trade and investment ties expected to figure prominently in the discussions. The visit follows a series of recent high-level engagements between the two countries.

Xi is accompanied by a high-level delegation that includes senior government officials and business leaders.

Multi-layered security in Delhi

Security for the Chinese President has been planned at a high level, with multiple agencies involved in securing his movements and accommodation. The hotel where he will stay has been declared a no-fly zone, and anti-terror and bomb-detection teams will be deployed there. Checks will also cover possible nuclear, radiation and biochemical threats, while underground pipelines and other infrastructure around the premises are being examined.

Around ten days before the visit, China reportedly sent a cargo aircraft to India carrying Xi's Hongqi state limousine, a backup vehicle and communication equipment. The Chinese President is expected to remain in India for about 24 hours and will leave Bharat Mandapam for the airport at around 11 am on Sunday.

Equipment brought by foreign security teams is subject to Indian regulations. Satellite communication equipment is not permitted, and certain weapons and security items cannot be imported and must be deposited with customs on arrival. Security-related concerns raised by foreign governments are being coordinated with the Delhi Police and other agencies under the Ministry of External Affairs protocol.

Aircraft and citywide arrangements

Xi travels in a modified Boeing 747-8 operated by Air China, the country's primary state aircraft and a mobile command centre. The jet entered Air China service in 2014, was withdrawn in May 2015 for a multi-month conversion, and entered state service in 2016 with a VIP interior, secure communications and specialised security systems. It carries encrypted satellite communications, threat-detection systems, missile-defence countermeasures and EMP shielding.

Across Delhi, more than 15,000 police personnel and 200 companies of paramilitary forces have been deployed ahead of the summit. Barricades have been erected at several locations and vehicles are being checked, with personnel posted across sectors and zones and technical surveillance equipment in use.

More than 700 CCTV cameras and five control rooms have been set up along the route between Indira Gandhi International Airport and Shanti Path. A dedicated CCTV control room at Tughlak Road Police Station will monitor feeds from around 500 cameras, with additional cameras deployed for traffic management and security along the route.