Times24.net: Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in New Delhi on Saturday for the BRICS summit and talks with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, as wars in the Middle East and Ukraine, trade tensions and energy security dominate the gathering.
The visit is Xi’s first to India since 2019 and comes as the two Asian powers cautiously seek to improve relations following years of tension over their disputed Himalayan border.
Xi travelled to India at Modi’s invitation for the 18th BRICS Summit. He is accompanied by Foreign Minister Wang Yi and senior Communist Party official Cai Qi.
Xi and Modi are expected to hold bilateral talks on Saturday, with their meeting closely watched for signs of further progress in stabilising relations between the two countries.
Their ties deteriorated sharply after a deadly border clash in 2020 that killed 20 Indian and four Chinese soldiers. Relations have since improved gradually through renewed high-level contacts and easing restrictions, although territorial disputes and strategic mistrust remain.
China said ahead of Xi’s visit that it was ready to strengthen communication and cooperation with India while properly managing differences.
The summit is taking place against a difficult international backdrop, with the conflict involving Iran, Israel and the United States disrupting energy markets and shipping, while Russia’s war in Ukraine continues to weigh on global trade and security.
Russian President Vladimir Putin and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian arrived in New Delhi on Friday ahead of the leaders’ meeting.
Putin held talks with Modi on Friday, with the two sides discussing bilateral ties, trade, energy and regional and global developments. Russia has also called for BRICS to deepen cooperation in areas including technology, infrastructure, payments and investment.
Modi also met Pezeshkian and stressed the importance of protecting freedom of navigation and commerce as well as the safety of seafarers amid tensions affecting key maritime routes.
Economic issues are also high on the agenda. BRICS finance ministers and central bank governors have called for reforms to institutions including the International Monetary Fund and World Bank and for faster and cheaper cross-border payments among emerging economies.
BRICS was established as a forum for major emerging economies seeking greater representation and influence in global political and economic institutions.
The expanded grouping now includes Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, the United Arab Emirates and Indonesia, while official BRICS material also lists Saudi Arabia among its members.
The New Delhi summit will test whether the increasingly diverse grouping can find common ground on wars, trade and economic cooperation despite differing strategic interests among its members.
