NEW DELHI — Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in New Delhi on Saturday, Sept. 12, to attend the 18th BRICS summit. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi invited the leaders of the 11-nation bloc to discuss the ongoing conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine, global trade disruptions and energy security.
Xi's delegation includes Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Cai Qi, a senior Communist Party official. Russian President Vladimir Putin and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian arrived Friday.
This is Xi's first visit to India since 2019, marking a cautious easing of relations between the two nuclear-armed rivals. A deadly military clash in 2020 along their disputed Himalayan border had escalated tensions. Since then, ties have gradually improved through restored flights, visa approvals and high-level contacts.
The underlying territorial dispute remains unresolved. Both nations maintain heavy military deployments along their roughly 3,500-kilometer border in Tibet.
Beijing said Friday it was ready to strengthen communication with India, enhance cooperation and address differences. Xi is scheduled to hold face-to-face talks with Modi on Saturday.
Pradeep Taneja, a China-India expert at the University of Melbourne, said both countries seek an "early and substantial harvest" on the border issue. He noted the contradiction of maintaining military forces on the frontier while advocating for economic ties and people-to-people exchanges.
Deep mistrust persists between India and China over their Himalayan border. A widening trade deficit and strategic rivalry continue to complicate bilateral relations.
On Friday, dozens of Tibetans living in exile, including the Dalai Lama, protested Xi's visit in New Delhi, waving placards opposing his presence.
Putin held talks with Modi on Friday, agreeing to deepen the "special" relationship between Russia and India. Modi also met with Pezeshkian, emphasizing the need to protect freedom of navigation and the safety of maritime commerce.
India has addressed energy shortages in part by increasing reliance on Russian oil despite Moscow's war in Ukraine and pressure from Washington and other Western capitals.
