Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in New Delhi on Saturday for the BRICS summit and talks with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, marking his first visit to India in seven years as the two Asian powers seek to rebuild strained ties.
The visit comes after relations deteriorated following a deadly military clash along their disputed Himalayan border in 2020, which killed 20 Indian and four Chinese soldiers. The two countries have since taken steps to ease tensions and restore engagement.
Xi and Modi are scheduled to meet on Saturday evening, their third meeting in three years, according to China’s Foreign Ministry. Reuters reported that Beijing has signalled a willingness to manage differences and strengthen ties with New Delhi from a strategic and long-term perspective.
The talks come as leaders of the BRICS group gather in the Indian capital amid heightened geopolitical tensions linked to the US-Israeli war with Iran and the Russia-Ukraine conflict, which have disrupted global energy, trade and transport.
For India and China, the meeting also provides an opportunity to address bilateral differences while maintaining dialogue on regional and global issues.
BRICS comprises Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Egypt, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Iran and the United Arab Emirates.
