As per the potential schedule, Xi may arrive in Delhi on Saturday afternoon. A meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi is possible around 6 PM at Bharat Mandapam. If this meeting takes place, its diplomatic significance will be extremely important.
This will be Xi's first visit to India since 2019. Also, it will be the first potential bilateral meeting between the two leaders on Indian soil since the violent clash in Galwan Valley in 2020.
New Test for Relations After Galwan
The violent clash in the Galwan Valley of eastern Ladakh in June 2020 had plunged India-China relations into a deep crisis. Following this incident, there was a heavy military build-up on the Line of Actual Control (LAC).
Will Peace on the Border Normalize Relations?
New Delhi had made it clear that normalizing bilateral relations would not be possible until peace is established on the border. However, the agreement reached in October 2024 regarding patrols in the Depsang and Demchok areas was a significant step towards reducing tensions.
Following this, Modi and Xi also met during the BRICS summit in Kazan. Now, this potential meeting in Delhi could signal that both countries are ready to extend the dialogue mechanism created to prevent conflict to economic relations.
The Real Test of Trade and Investment
Despite deep political differences between India and China, the economic dependence of both countries has not ended. Machinery, electronic goods, industrial equipment, and many important raw materials imported from China are used on a large scale in Indian industries.
Meanwhile, since 2020, India has significantly increased its scrutiny over Chinese investment and the role of Chinese companies in sensitive technological sectors.
Issues India May Raise
During the BRICS summit, India may raise important issues such as investment barriers, customs procedures, and the availability of high-tech products. Obstacles in the supply of essential industrial materials like rare-earth magnets have become a major concern for the Indian auto industry and several other sectors.
The Evolved Nature of BRICS
The BRIC concept, coined by economist Jim O'Neill in 2001 for four emerging economies - Brazil, Russia, India, and China - has now become a much larger and more influential platform.
A Powerful Forum of 11 Nations
After South Africa joined, the group became BRICS. In 2024, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, and the United Arab Emirates became its new members. Indonesia became a full member in 2025. Today, the group is a powerful forum of 11 countries, representing nearly half of the world's population and about 40 percent of the global GDP.
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