Xi Jinping may visit India for the first time in 7 years

Xi Jinping may visit India for the first time in seven years

Chinese President Xi Jinping is expected to attend the BRICS summit in India in September. This could be his first visit to India in seven years. The visit will be significant in the context of efforts to improve relations between the two countries, Reuters reported, citing three Indian sources.

India will host the BRICS summit in New Delhi on September 12-13. According to sources, the Chinese leader is likely to visit India with a delegation of about 400 officials. This is more than double the number of his visit in 2019.

Relations between China and India have been tense for several years after clashes broke out in the Himalayan border region in 2020. In those clashes, 20 Indian and 4 Chinese soldiers were killed. Although the sides reached an agreement in October 2024 to disengage troops from the border area, the border issue remains a major issue. In late July 2026, military patrols from the two countries reportedly came face to face in one of the remote areas of the border.

Chinese and Indian officials are expected to discuss ways to expand cooperation in economic and other areas, as well as ways to manage differences on border and regional security issues, during the BRICS summit.

China's Foreign Ministry has said that Beijing attaches great importance to BRICS cooperation and supports India in holding the summit successfully. However, final details about Xi Jinping's visit have not yet been released.

It should be recalled that Chinese President Xi Jinping paid a state visit to North Korea in early May 2026. During the visit, it was agreed with Kim Jong-un to expand cooperation in the political, economic, and cultural spheres.