New Delhi, August 25, 2026: Chinese President Xi Jinping is likely to travel to New Delhi next month to attend the BRICS summit, accompanied by a delegation of around 400 officials, according to a Reuters report citing Indian sources. If confirmed, the visit would be Xi's first trip to India in seven years and could become an important test of the fragile improvement in India-China relations.
India is scheduled to host the BRICS summit in New Delhi on September 12 and 13. Xi's possible participation comes at a time when New Delhi and Beijing are attempting to stabilise relations after years of military and diplomatic tensions following the deadly 2020 clashes along the Line of Actual Control.
However, the visit has not yet been officially confirmed by Beijing or New Delhi. Chinese officials have indicated that China attaches importance to BRICS cooperation and supports India's role as the 2026 chair, but China's Foreign Ministry said it currently had no information to provide about Xi's possible visit.
A much larger Chinese delegation
The size of the expected Chinese delegation has attracted particular attention.
According to sources cited by Reuters, Xi could travel with roughly 400 officials, more than twice the size of the Chinese contingent that accompanied him during his last visit to India in 2019. One Indian source with direct knowledge of preparations said Chinese officials were already working on hotel arrangements and security protocols.
The unusually large delegation could indicate that the visit is being prepared as more than a routine attendance at a multilateral summit.
A delegation of this scale would potentially include senior government officials, diplomats, economic representatives and support personnel. Its presence could provide opportunities for discussions extending beyond the formal BRICS agenda, particularly on India-China economic and diplomatic relations.
First India visit in seven years
If Xi travels to New Delhi, it will be his first visit to India since 2019.
His absence from India since then reflects the dramatic deterioration in bilateral relations after the Galwan Valley clashes of 2020, in which 20 Indian soldiers and four Chinese soldiers were killed. The confrontation led to a prolonged military standoff along the disputed Himalayan border.
For several years, the two countries maintained extensive military deployments in the border areas while diplomatic and military commanders conducted repeated negotiations to reduce tensions.
An October 2024 disengagement agreement helped lower tensions at several points along the frontier, but the broader boundary dispute remains unresolved.
Xi's possible return to India would therefore carry significance well beyond the BRICS meeting itself.
Why the BRICS summit matters
BRICS has become an increasingly important platform for emerging economies and the Global South.
The grouping originally brought together Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. It has since expanded to include additional members, giving the organisation greater economic and geopolitical weight.
India is chairing BRICS in 2026 and is preparing a summit focused on cooperation among member countries.
The Indian government has already held ministerial-level BRICS meetings during its chairship. At the BRICS Trade Ministers' Meeting in Jaipur earlier this month, members discussed economic cooperation, trade, global value chains and the proposed BRICS Economic Partnership Strategy 2030.
Xi's presence would give the summit additional international attention, particularly because China is one of the most influential members of the grouping.
India-China relations are at a delicate stage
The timing of Xi's potential visit is especially important.
India and China have been attempting to restore communication after years of strained relations. While the border dispute remains unresolved, both sides have shown interest in maintaining peace and preventing another serious confrontation.
The improvement is cautious rather than complete.
The two countries continue to disagree over the boundary, while military and diplomatic mechanisms remain important for preventing incidents from escalating.
Recent reports of patrols coming face-to-face in a remote area of Arunachal Pradesh have demonstrated that tensions have not disappeared. India has repeatedly emphasised that maintaining peace and tranquillity along the border is essential for improving the overall relationship.
Ajit Doval's Beijing talks add significance
Xi's possible visit is taking place alongside renewed high-level diplomatic engagement.
National Security Adviser Ajit Doval is currently in Beijing for the latest round of talks under the India-China Special Representatives mechanism. He is meeting Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi to discuss the longstanding boundary dispute and measures to maintain peace along the border.
The timing is notable.
With Xi potentially travelling to New Delhi within weeks, the Doval-Wang talks could help create a more stable diplomatic environment ahead of high-level India-China engagement.
The discussions do not mean that the boundary dispute has been resolved. Instead, they indicate that both governments are continuing to use established diplomatic channels to manage differences.
Will Modi and Xi hold a bilateral meeting?
One of the biggest questions surrounding Xi's possible visit is whether he will meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi separately during the BRICS summit.
Sources cited in the reports said the agenda for any bilateral meeting has not yet been finalised. Xi's travel plans themselves are also still being worked out.
A Modi-Xi meeting would attract considerable attention because the two leaders have not had frequent face-to-face engagements since relations deteriorated after 2020.
If such a meeting takes place, the border situation would likely be among the most important issues, alongside trade, economic relations and broader regional and global developments.
However, it would be premature to assume that a summit meeting automatically means a major breakthrough.
Border issue remains the biggest challenge
The India-China border remains the central obstacle to a full restoration of bilateral relations.
The two countries share a disputed Himalayan boundary stretching roughly 3,800 kilometres. The 2020 clashes transformed the relationship and created a security environment in which economic and diplomatic engagement became closely linked to developments along the frontier.
India's position has consistently been that peace and tranquillity along the border are essential for the broader relationship.
China, meanwhile, has also expressed support for continued BRICS cooperation and high-level engagement with India.
The challenge is turning diplomatic contact into durable stability on the ground.
Economic ties could also feature
Beyond security, economics remains an important component of the relationship.
China is a major trading partner for India, but the bilateral economic relationship has long been marked by concerns over India's trade deficit, market access and dependence on Chinese components in several industries.
A high-level visit could provide an opportunity for both governments to discuss ways of managing those economic differences.
However, security considerations will continue to influence the pace at which economic ties can expand.
For India, closer economic engagement cannot be separated entirely from concerns over national security and supply-chain resilience.
Why the 400-member delegation is significant
The reported size of the delegation could itself send a diplomatic signal.
A large delegation suggests that Beijing is preparing seriously for India's BRICS presidency and potentially for a broad range of official interactions.
It could also provide opportunities for officials from both countries to discuss issues at multiple levels rather than limiting engagement to the two leaders.
At the same time, the number should not automatically be interpreted as evidence of a complete diplomatic reset.
India and China remain strategic competitors in several areas, including the Himalayas and the wider Indo-Pacific. Their cooperation within BRICS exists alongside significant bilateral disagreements.
China's position on the possible visit
Beijing has not confirmed Xi's attendance.
The Chinese Foreign Ministry has said China attaches great importance to BRICS cooperation and supports India's efforts as the group's chair in 2026. But officials have not publicly confirmed that Xi will travel to New Delhi.
India's Ministry of External Affairs has likewise not officially confirmed Xi's visit.
Therefore, the current reports should be treated as preparations for a possible visit rather than a formally announced presidential trip.
A potential turning point for ties
If Xi does travel to New Delhi, the visit could become one of the most important India-China diplomatic events in recent years.
It would bring the Chinese president back to India after a seven-year gap and place him alongside leaders of the expanded BRICS grouping.
More importantly, it would take place during an apparent effort by New Delhi and Beijing to stabilise relations without resolving their fundamental disagreements.
The combination of Xi's possible visit, Doval's border talks and preparations for a large Chinese delegation suggests that both sides are investing in high-level engagement.
But expectations will need to remain realistic.
A successful BRICS summit could improve communication and reduce tensions, yet it would not by itself settle the boundary dispute or eliminate strategic competition.
What to watch in September
If Xi's visit is confirmed, several developments will be closely watched:
- Whether Xi holds a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Modi.
- What the two leaders say about the border situation.
- Whether India and China announce new measures to improve bilateral ties.
- Whether economic and trade issues feature prominently.
- What role China plays in India's BRICS agenda.
- Whether the large Chinese delegation holds separate meetings with Indian officials and business representatives.
The answers could provide an indication of how far the recent India-China thaw has progressed.
The larger message
Xi Jinping's possible return to India comes at a sensitive moment for both countries.
India wants to strengthen its role within BRICS while maintaining strategic autonomy and managing relations with major powers. China, meanwhile, has an interest in keeping BRICS strong and maintaining engagement with one of the world's largest emerging economies.
For New Delhi and Beijing, the immediate goal may not be to resolve every disagreement. It may instead be to prevent those disagreements from derailing broader relations.
If Xi arrives in New Delhi with a roughly 400-member delegation, his visit could become a powerful symbol of that cautious engagement.
The real test, however, will be whether the high-level diplomacy produces lasting stability along the border and a more predictable India-China relationship after years of mistrust.
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