China’s Xi Jinping May Attend BRICS Summit in Delhi Next Month With Large Delegation
Chinese President Xi Jinping is likely to attend the BRICS leaders’ summit in New Delhi on September 12 and 13, according to reports. If confirmed, it would be his first visit to India in seven years, with Beijing reportedly preparing a large delegation of officials, businessmen and state-backed media representatives.
Written by
Jyoti Mukherjee
New Delhi: Chinese President Xi Jinping is likely to attend the BRICS leaders’ summit in New Delhi on September 12 and 13, according to information available from sources familiar with the preparations.
If the visit goes ahead, it would be Xi Jinping’s first trip to India in seven years. His last visit was in October 2019, months before military tensions between India and China escalated following Chinese military activity along the Line of Actual Control in eastern Ladakh.
Chinese advance team arrives in Delhi
The Chinese side has reportedly conveyed to New Delhi that Xi is likely to attend the BRICS leaders’ summit.
An advance team from China has already arrived in the national capital to prepare for the possible visit.
The team is expected to work with Indian authorities on security and protocol arrangements ahead of the summit.
The preparations indicate that Beijing is treating the possible visit as a major diplomatic engagement.
Large Chinese delegation expected
Xi is expected to travel with a sizeable delegation if the visit is confirmed.
The delegation could include senior Chinese officials, businessmen and representatives from state-backed media organisations.
The presence of business representatives would add an economic dimension to the high-level diplomatic engagement.
For India and China, the summit could provide an important platform for discussions on bilateral relations as well as wider global and economic issues.
Xi’s last India visit
Xi last visited India in October 2019.
During that visit, he met Prime Minister Narendra Modi for an informal summit in Mamallapuram, Tamil Nadu.
The meeting came at a time when India-China relations were focused on improving communication between the leaderships of the two countries.
However, relations deteriorated sharply after the military standoff along the Line of Actual Control in eastern Ladakh.
India-China relations after the Ladakh standoff
The military tensions along the LAC became one of the biggest challenges in India-China relations in recent years.
The standoff led to a prolonged deployment of troops by both sides in eastern Ladakh.
The situation also affected political, economic and diplomatic ties between New Delhi and Beijing.
The possibility of Xi visiting India therefore carries significance beyond the BRICS summit itself.
BRICS summit in New Delhi
The BRICS leaders’ meeting is expected to bring together heads of government from the grouping's member countries.
India's hosting of the summit provides New Delhi with an important diplomatic opportunity to engage with major emerging economies.
China is one of the most influential members of the grouping, making Xi’s potential presence particularly significant.
Why Xi’s visit matters
A visit by Xi would mark an important high-level interaction between India and China after years of tensions.
It could provide an opportunity for the two sides to discuss outstanding bilateral issues and assess the broader direction of their relationship.
However, the exact agenda of any meeting between Xi and Prime Minister Narendra Modi will depend on the final arrangements and developments ahead of the summit.
Focus on security and protocol
With the Chinese advance team already in Delhi, preparations are expected to focus heavily on security and protocol.
A visit by the Chinese President would require extensive coordination between Indian and Chinese officials.
The expected arrival of a large delegation would further increase the logistical requirements surrounding the visit.
Economic dimension
The expected presence of Chinese businessmen could also draw attention to economic relations between India and China.
Trade and investment have remained important components of the bilateral relationship despite political and security tensions.
A high-level BRICS gathering could therefore provide opportunities for discussions involving businesses and economic officials.
A significant diplomatic moment
If Xi Jinping travels to New Delhi, the visit would represent his first trip to India since 2019.
It would also provide the leaderships of India and China with an opportunity to interact directly on the sidelines of a major multilateral summit.
For now, however, Xi’s participation is being described as likely, and the final visit will depend on confirmation from the Chinese and Indian sides.
The arrival of China's advance team suggests that preparations are already underway for the possibility of the Chinese President attending the September 12-13 BRICS summit in New Delhi.
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