Xi Jinping In India After 7 Years: Why His Visit Matters For BRICS 2026 And India-China Ties
Xi Jinping’s India visit for BRICS Summit 2026 puts India-China relations in the spotlight, with trade, border tensions and the trust gap likely to dominate attention.
BRICS Summit 2026 has grabbed attention as there are many major things happening here and there. After Putin’s arrival, experts are watching China’s participation in the BRICS.
After a whole 7 years, Chinese President Xi Jinping is set to arrive in New Delhi on Saturday morning, 12th of September. He will be here for the 18th BRICS Summit, hosted by PM Modi, India.
The world is watching Xi Jinping’s movements as the gap of 7 years has raised many questions. His visit follows years of tension between the two nations.
Xi Jinping’s visit is not just for BRICS, but it is also very important for the future of India-China relationships. India and China share a long history of culture and disputes, along with a border dispute. Not just these things, the biggest threat between both the nations is trade and its imbalance. The bigger border issue was the 2020 Galwan Valley clash.
BRICS 2026 brings both the leaders face to face and tends them to discuss everything with a piled-up history of 7 years.
Why Is Xi Jinping Visiting India After 7 Years?
- Last Visit in 2019: Xi Jinping’s last visit to India was in 2019, when he met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Mamallapuram.
- Galwan Valley Clash: A year later, the Galwan Valley clash badly damaged India-China bilateral relations.
- Improving Communication: Xi’s return comes at a time when both countries are trying to improve communication and reduce tensions.
- Expected Modi-Xi Meeting: Xi is expected to meet PM Modi on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit, with trade and border issues likely to be important subjects.
- Differences Remain: However, this does not mean that all differences have disappeared. Both countries still have major disagreements and a significant trust gap.
India-China Relations: From Ancient Ties To Border Tensions
| Period/Development | What Happened |
| Ancient Ties | India and China have shared cultural links for centuries. Buddhism played an important role in connecting the two civilisations, with Chinese travellers such as Xuanzang visiting India to study Buddhist teachings. |
| Early Modern Relations | Modern relations initially started on a positive note after India and China became independent republics. The two countries promoted the idea of “Hindi-Chini Bhai Bhai” and signed the Panchsheel Agreement in 1954. |
| 1962 India-China War | Relations soon changed. The 1962 India-China war became a major turning point, and the border dispute continued for decades. |
| 1988 Rajiv Gandhi Visit | Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi’s visit to China helped restart dialogue between the two countries. |
| Trade Relations | Later, India and China developed strong trade relations, even while the border dispute remained unresolved. |
What Does India Trade With China?
When I said the biggest thread that India and China are hanging on is trade, it is one of the biggest parts of their relationship. For India, China is the biggest source of electronics, machinery, chemicals, pharmaceutical ingredients, batteries and industrial goods. So now that we know this, many Indian companies depend heavily on China for these products in their raw manufacturing units.
India, meanwhile, exports iron ore, petroleum products, chemicals, cotton and some agricultural and marine products to China.
Now, this has created a major trade imbalance. This means India is right now taking more and giving less. It imports more and exports less. Although this means India wants better market access and less dependency on its Chinese counterpart. Trade and investment barriers will remain key BRICS discussion points.
Why Is Xi's Visit Important For BRICS 2026?
The mere presence of the Chinese President is in the spotlight, no wonder what the deals will become. Xi Jinping’s presence gives the Delhi BRICS Summit a layer of importance against all the disputes in history. BRICS is now an 11-member bloc. This has made the platform bigger for all the emerging economies and the Global South.
However, talking to China and working with them for India is like talking to an old friend with a long list of unresolved issues, and given your grudges, this will be a challenge to cooperate with and avoid conflicts of interest while protecting strategic interests where they differ. Xi Jinping’s visit does not erase history, but it puts India-China relations back in the global spotlight. All eyes are on the resolution and meeting happening tomorrow.
Aishwarya Samant is a journalist with over 4 years of experience navigating the fast-paced corporate media landscape. She specializes in decoding business news, world economy, personal finance, and stock market trends, often adding a subtle touch of political perspective to keep things interesting.
Having worked with reputed organizations like ZEE, TV9, News24, and NewsX, she is no stranger to the newsroom hustle and the demands of real-time storytelling. Her writing style is fast-paced, engaging, and crafted to connect seamlessly with diverse audiences across platforms. She approaches every story from the reader’s point of view, breaking down complex topics into clear, relatable narratives backed by solid facts and credible sources. While she’s confident in expressing strong viewpoints, she ensures balance with insights. Sharp, fact-driven content that informs, engages, and keeps readers coming back for more.
