China Confirms Xi’s Presence at BRICS, Brings 400 People Delegation for Talks

New Delhi: Ending days of diplomatic suspense, China on Thursday announced the attendance of President Xi Jinping for the 18th BRICS Leaders Summit in New Delhi this weekend. This will be President Xi’s first trip to India in seven years. PM Modi will also hold talks with Mr Xi, on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit. However, a day before the Summit, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hold bilaterals with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Friday.

Announcing Mr Xi’s arrival, the Chinese Foreign Office on Thursday said, “At the invitation of Prime Minister of the Republic of India Narendra Modi, President Xi Jinping will attend the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi from September 12 to 13.”

President Xi is reportedly bringing with him a huge delegation of 400 people comprising media persons, officials and businesspersons as the two leaders try to widen their ties and iron out differences. In fact, this is Mr Xi’s visit to India after the Galwan Valley clash of India-China troops. He had last visited India in 2019, but the last meeting between the two leaders was at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Tianjin in China last year.

Ahead of President Xi’s departure, Indian Ambassador Mr Vikram Doraiswami wrote in an article published in the Global Times, saying, “As we look toward the upcoming BRICS summit hosted by India, there is a valuable opportunity to deepen China-India cooperation on issues of mutual concern, from trade and connectivity to climate action, public health and the digital economy, while contributing constructively to a more balanced, inclusive and equitable global order…and that the two countries are each other's development opportunities rather than threats.”

The Russian Foreign Ministry also formally announced the visit of Mr Putin, saying apart from holding bilateral meetings, the President will on Friday address the Plenary Session of the annual BRICS Business Forum, which traditionally precedes the Summit and serves as an important platform for dialogue among business representatives from BRICS countries. On the same day, Russia's President will hold a series of bilateral meetings starting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and join him for a visit to the Innoprom exhibition, organised by the two countries’ ministries of Industry and Trade. It said the leaders will also exchange views on current international and regional issues.

During a media briefing in Moscow, President Putin’s aide Mr Yury Ushakov underlined that informal communication between Mr Putin and Mr Modi is invaluable: "We highly value the kind of relationship that has developed between the two leaders," Mr Ushako said. He added that no separate full-format meeting between Mr Putin and Mr Xi Jinping has been scheduled on the sidelines of the BRICS summit in New Delhi, “though they are almost certain to converse during a so-called pull-aside meeting."

There will be no representation from Bangladesh, whose PM Mr Tarique Rahman has been invited as the chair of BIMSTEC. Bangladesh Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Mr Humaiun Kobir claimed that the Bangladesh premier was not properly invited to the BRICS Summit and that the invitation was extended to Mr Rahman not as a prime minister but as the chairman of BIMSTEC. However, India has extended an invitation to Rahman to attend the BRICS Summit as the chairman of BIMSTEC, while a separate bilateral invitation had been in place since February.

Meanwhile, PM Modi on Thursday posted a video showing Delhi’s preparedness for the Summit. “All set for BRICS 2026!” wrote the PM on X.