- Chinese President Xi Jinping expected to visit India for BRICS.
- Marks first India trip since 2020 Galwan border clash.
- India hosts expanded BRICS summit with Putin attending.
- Visit could bring fresh momentum to India-China relations.
Chinese President Xi Jinping is likely to visit India for the BRICS Summit scheduled to be held in New Delhi in September, according to people familiar with the development. While Beijing has not officially confirmed the visit, China’s support for India’s BRICS presidency this year has fuelled expectations that Xi will attend the summit.
India has already extended a formal invitation to the Chinese President, and if the visit goes ahead, it would mark a significant milestone in India-China relations after years of diplomatic and military tensions.
First India Visit Since 2020 Galwan Clash
If confirmed, Xi’s visit would be his first trip to India since the deadly Galwan Valley clash in 2020, which triggered the most serious deterioration in bilateral ties between the two countries in decades.
It would also be Xi’s first visit to India since October 2019, when he met Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the second informal summit in Mamallapuram, Tamil Nadu. That meeting followed their earlier informal summit in Wuhan in 2018.
Relations between New Delhi and Beijing sharply deteriorated months after the Mamallapuram summit following the military confrontation along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh. The prolonged border standoff significantly affected diplomatic engagement, although leaders from both countries continued to meet during international summits.
Xi previously made a state visit to India in September 2014, travelling to Ahmedabad and New Delhi shortly after assuming office.
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BRICS Summit To Be Held In New Delhi
India will host the BRICS Summit in New Delhi on September 12 and 13, bringing together leaders of the expanded grouping.
Initially comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, BRICS expanded in 2024 with the inclusion of Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran and the United Arab Emirates. Indonesia became the bloc’s newest member in 2025, further increasing its global economic and political influence.
The summit is expected to focus on cooperation among emerging economies, global governance reforms and key geopolitical challenges.
Putin Among Leaders Expected To Attend
Apart from Xi, Russian President Vladimir Putin has already confirmed his participation in the New Delhi summit.
Iran is also expected to send a delegation, although the level of representation has not yet been announced. Bangladesh is reviewing India’s invitation for participation, with Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman confirming that Dhaka is considering the proposal.
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Modi, Xi Have Maintained Dialogue Through Multilateral Forums
Although bilateral visits were suspended after the Galwan clash, Prime Minister Modi and President Xi have continued interacting on the sidelines of major international forums, including BRICS, the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) and the G20.
Their most recent bilateral meeting took place in Kazan, Russia, in October 2024 after both sides reached an understanding on easing tensions along the LAC. The two leaders also met during the SCO Summit in Tianjin in August 2025.
Prime Minister Modi also travelled to China for the Tianjin SCO Summit in 2025, marking his first visit to the country in nearly seven years.
