Chinese President Xi Jinping is set to visit New Delhi on September 12 and 13 for the BRICS Summit. This trip marks his first visit to India in seven years and comes after the 2020 Galwan Valley clash, which significantly strained relations between China and India. The confirmation of his attendance at the summit could signal a potential thaw in diplomatic ties.
India has not officially announced Xi’s visit either. However, his participation could lead to a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the sidelines of the summit. Such a meeting could provide an opportunity for the two leaders to discuss the next steps in India-China relations.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said on Saturday (August 22) that peace and stability in the border areas are essential for better relations with China.
Foreign affairs expert Wale Avvad said Doval’s visit has two important purposes – talks on the boundary dispute and an invitation to President Xi Jinping to attend the BRICS summit.
Beijing has not officially confirmed the president’s travel plans. Two Indian sources quoted in the report said the delegation could include around 400 officials, twice the size of the team that accompanied the Chinese premier during his 2019 visit to India.
Citing three sources, Reuters said Xi is expected to attend the summit with a large delegation. An Indian source said Chinese officials are working on hotel arrangements and security protocols for the visit. China’s Foreign Ministry said Beijing has always given priority to BRICS and has taken an active part in its activities. The ministry also said it had no information about Xi’s visit that it could provide at present.
