Xi Jinping, Vladimir Putin to visit India for BRICS Summit; Modi-Xi bilateral meeting likely

PTC Web Desk:  Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin are set to visit India for the upcoming BRICS Summit in New Delhi, bringing the leaders of the two major powers to India at a time when New Delhi is seeking to strengthen ties with key partners.

China’s Foreign Ministry on Thursday confirmed Xi’s visit to India. The announcement came two days after Russia confirmed that President Vladimir Putin would also travel to New Delhi for the summit.

The BRICS Summit will be held in New Delhi on September 12 and 13, with leaders from the 11-member grouping expected to attend.

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Xi’s visit will be his first trip to India since the deadly Galwan Valley clash in June 2020, which severely strained relations between New Delhi and Beijing.

Twenty Indian soldiers were killed in the June 15, 2020, confrontation in eastern Ladakh. China later acknowledged that four of its soldiers had also died in the clash.

The incident triggered a prolonged military standoff along the Line of Actual Control and led to a sharp deterioration in political and diplomatic ties between the two countries.

Modi-Xi meeting expected during BRICS Summit

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Xi Jinping are expected to hold a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit. The two leaders have met several times at international forums since the Galwan clash, including during the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit held in China last year.

Officials from India and China have also been engaged in efforts to stabilise bilateral relations and address outstanding issues. National Security Adviser Ajit Doval visited China on August 24 as part of these diplomatic efforts.

Border, trade issues likely to figure in talks

While the border dispute remains a key concern, India-China discussions are also likely to cover economic and trade-related matters.

New Delhi has been seeking to reduce its sizeable trade deficit with China while also working to diversify supply chains for critical goods.

The availability of rare-earth magnets, electronic components and other key industrial inputs has emerged as an important issue, with India looking to reduce excessive dependence on Chinese supplies.

India holding BRICS Presidency

India is hosting the BRICS Summit this year as the grouping's chair. The bloc includes India, China, Russia, Brazil, South Africa, Egypt, Iran, Ethiopia, the United Arab Emirates and Indonesia, along with the expanded membership of the grouping.

Throughout its year-long presidency, India has been hosting ministerial meetings, official-level discussions and other BRICS engagements across different cities.

New Delhi has placed emphasis on strengthening the voice of the Global South, expanding economic cooperation, improving energy security, promoting digital technologies, combating terrorism and building more resilient supply chains.

The summit is therefore expected to focus not only on geopolitical issues but also on trade, investment, development and broader economic cooperation among member countries.