Xi Jinping heads to India for the BRICS summit after seven years
Chinese President Xi Jinping will travel to New Delhi for the 18th BRICS Summit on 12-13 September at Narendra Modi's invitation. Announced by China's foreign ministry and corroborated by Indian reporting, the trip will be Xi's first visit to India in about seven years; he and Modi are expected to meet during the summit.
Geopolitics··Evening
Beijing announces Xi's attendance
China's foreign ministry said President Xi Jinping would attend the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi at Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's invitation. The leaders' meeting of BRICS, a grouping of major developing economies, is scheduled for 12-13 September. Hindustan Times also reported that Xi was expected in New Delhi for the summit. The two accounts match on the timing, destination and purpose of the trip, while Beijing's statement is the official announcement of its head of state's travel.[1], [2]
The trip closes a seven-year gap
Hindustan Times reported that the journey would be Xi's first visit to India in about seven years. India is hosting the summit at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi under its BRICS chairship. The attendance list in Indian reporting also includes Vladimir Putin, Cyril Ramaphosa, Masoud Pezeshkian, Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, Abiy Ahmed and Prabowo Subianto. Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira is expected to represent Brazil; a list published before the summit remains an announcement rather than confirmation that each leader has arrived.[2]
A meeting with Modi is on the agenda
Hindustan Times said Modi and Xi were expected to hold a bilateral meeting during the summit. The main programme centres on multilateral sessions, and India's stated theme covers resilience, innovation, cooperation and sustainability. The gathering is expected to close with a New Delhi Declaration. China's attendance announcement confirms only that Xi is due at the summit on 12-13 September; the content of any bilateral meeting and decisions that may emerge had not been announced before the event began.[2], [1]
