Xi Jinping India Visit: Chinese President Xi Jinping will visit India on September 12 and 13 at the invitation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to attend the BRICS Summit. China announced the visit on Thursday, ending speculation over whether the Chinese leader would travel to India for the high-profile summit.
The visit will be particularly significant as it will be Xi Jinping’s first trip to India in seven years. Diplomatic sources have said that Xi and Prime Minister Narendra Modi are scheduled to hold a bilateral meeting on Saturday evening.
Xi Jinping’s India Visit Was Known to India Earlier
There had been uncertainty over the timing of the official announcement of Xi Jinping’s India visit. However, diplomatic sources indicate that Beijing had informed New Delhi about the planned trip several weeks ago.
According to the information available, China approached the Indian Embassy in Beijing on August 27 and requested visas for members of Xi Jinping’s delegation.
This indicates that preparations for the Chinese President’s visit were already underway even though the formal announcement came later.
67-Member Delegation to Accompany Xi Jinping
Xi Jinping is expected to travel to India with a 67-member official delegation.
The delegation will reportedly include Cai Qi, a member of the Standing Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Politburo and one of Xi’s closest political associates.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi will also accompany the Chinese President.
Apart from the official delegation, a separate Chinese business delegation is also expected to visit India, adding an economic dimension to Xi’s trip.
Xi Jinping’s 24-Hour India Visit
Xi’s visit is expected to last around 24 hours.
According to the schedule, the Chinese President will arrive in India at around 12:10 pm on Saturday and is scheduled to leave the country at approximately 12:20 pm the following day.
During his stay, Xi is expected to travel to Bharat Mandapam, where Prime Minister Narendra Modi will receive him.
PM Modi and Xi Jinping to Hold Bilateral Meeting
The meeting between Modi and Xi is expected to be one of the key events of the Chinese President’s visit.
According to diplomatic sources, the two leaders will hold bilateral discussions on Saturday evening. Xi will also participate in the closed-door BRICS session.
Prime Minister Modi is scheduled to host a dinner for the visiting leaders at around 7:30 pm.
The Modi-Xi meeting will be closely watched because it comes at a time when relations between India and China have begun showing signs of improvement after several years of tensions.
India-China Relations Improving After 2024 Kazan Meeting
Xi Jinping’s India visit comes against the backdrop of improving relations between the two Asian powers.
At the BRICS Summit in Kazan in 2024, Modi and Xi held talks as both countries sought to reduce tensions that had persisted since the 2020 military standoff in eastern Ladakh.
Following the Kazan meeting, the two sides moved towards resolving the military dispute and reducing tensions along the border.
The upcoming meeting could therefore become an important opportunity for both countries to discuss the future direction of their bilateral relationship.
Trade Imbalance Likely to Be on Modi’s Agenda
Economic issues are also expected to feature prominently during the Modi-Xi discussions.
India could raise concerns over the trade imbalance, seek greater and fairer access to the Chinese market and discuss the reliability of supply chains.
New Delhi is also expected to push for stronger economic cooperation while seeking a more balanced trade relationship with Beijing.
Xi Jinping’s brief visit is therefore significant not only for the BRICS Summit but also for the broader India-China relationship. The outcome of the Modi-Xi meeting could provide indications of how quickly the two countries intend to deepen their engagement after years of strained ties.
