As he addressed BRICS leaders in New Delhi on Saturday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi suddenly halted his speech after noticing Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Xi had arrived in New Delhi on Saturday and spent the day attending summit-related events, including bilateral engagements. The exchange, caught on camera, took place a few minutes into the Prime Minister’s opening statement at the BRICS Summit. After participating in the summit proceedings, Xi skipped a dinner hosted by PM Modi , with people familiar with the matter saying the Chinese President was tired following his long journey and a packed schedule. The Chinese President also held talks with PM Modi, with both leaders reviewing the state of bilateral ties and discussing ways to move the relationship forward. They reaffirmed that both countries should take a strategic and long-term perspective of their ties. Differences should not become disputes. “He underlined the need for both sides to observe existing agreements and understandings on border-related issues. The two leaders expressed commitment to a fair, reasonable, and mutually acceptable resolution of the boundary question proceeding from the political perspective of their overall bilateral relations and the long-term interests of the two peoples,” the MEA statement added.
Because he was tired after travelling and was affected by the time difference, people with direct knowledge of the matter said the Chinese President missed the dinner. “The two leaders welcomed the steady progress in India-China bilateral relations since their last meeting in Tianjin in August 2025.
In a statement issued after the meeting, the Ministry of External Affairs said both leaders agreed on the need to approach relations from a long-term strategic perspective. The Prime Minister highlighted that both sides must be guided by three mutuals- mutual respect, mutual sensitivity and mutual interest,” MEA said in a statement.
