Xi Jinping to Visit India for BRICS Summit, Hold Talks with PM Modi

Chinese President Xi Jinping will travel to India this weekend for the BRICS Summit, his first visit to the country in seven years. He is expected to hold talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the sidelines of the two-day summit, scheduled for September 12 and 13.

The visit comes amid a gradual warming of ties between the two neighbours, following the 2020 clash in the Galwan Valley that sharply strained relations. Both sides have since taken steps to restore engagement, and the upcoming meeting is seen as an opportunity to add momentum to that process.

Indian Ambassador to China Vikram Doraiswami, writing in the state-run Global Times, said a stable and amicable relationship between the two emerging economies serves not only their combined 2.8 billion people but also wider peace and prosperity in Asia. China's Foreign Ministry said Xi and Modi, who met briefly this month at a regional forum in Kyrgyzstan, view their countries as partners rather than competitors.

Last month, National Security Adviser Ajit Doval and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi met in Beijing and underscored the role of high-level leadership meetings in shaping bilateral ties.

Border and trade on agenda

PM Modi is expected to reiterate India's position that peace and tranquillity along the border are essential to the broader development of the relationship. The two countries had agreed in Kazan to restart high-level engagement after disengagement and the resolution of issues linked to the eastern Ladakh military standoff. Special Representatives on the boundary question have been tasked with overseeing border peace and exploring a fair, mutually acceptable solution to the dispute.

Trade is also set to feature prominently. New Delhi is likely to press for fair market access, supply-chain reliability and steps to address the widening bilateral imbalance. China is India's largest trading partner, with two-way trade reaching a record $151.1 billion in the year ending March 2026, while India's deficit with China hit a record $112.16 billion, up from $99.21 billion. India had urged BRICS members last year to address trade imbalances, and greater market access is expected to remain on the agenda.

Signs of a thaw

Several recent developments point to improving ties. Direct flights between the two countries resumed last year, and India eased visa procedures for Chinese business professionals. Border trade also restarted after a six-year gap. Trade through the Lipulekh Pass, which began in 1992 and continued until 2019, saw Chinese authorities allow 16 traders and four support staff to cross into Tibet on August 1 as operations were restored. Cross-border trade through the Nathula Pass in Sikkim has also officially resumed, reopening a key corridor along the historic Silk Road.

Despite these steps, the thaw remains cautious. Both sides appear keen to restore economic and diplomatic engagement, but the border continues to be the central test of whether the relationship can move from a tactical opening towards durable normalisation.