SLUG
Xi India BRICS Visit
NEW DELHI
Chinese President Xi Jinping will visit India to attend the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi on September 12 and 13, China’s foreign ministry confirmed on Thursday. The visit will mark Xi’s first trip to India in nearly seven years and comes as ties between the two countries have shown gradual improvement.
Xi will travel to India at the invitation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. His visit is expected to provide an opportunity for the two leaders to review progress in bilateral relations and discuss ongoing efforts to resolve outstanding border issues. India is preparing to host the two-day summit, bringing together leaders from the BRICS grouping.
Meanwhile, Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has ruled out attending the BRICS summit in Delhi. Bangladesh Foreign Affairs Minister Humaiun Kobir reportedly said Rahman was not invited to the meeting, with the invitation instead extended to the chair of the BIMSTEC grouping.
The developments come ahead of the summit, which India will host in the national capital from September 12 to 13. Xi’s confirmed participation is expected to draw attention to India-China relations, particularly efforts to improve ties and address unresolved border matters.
The BRICS meeting will therefore bring renewed focus to India’s engagement with major regional partners. While China has confirmed its leader’s presence, Bangladesh’s absence highlights differences in participation arrangements for the upcoming summit. The two developments are among the key international stories ahead of the New Delhi gathering, which is set to take place over the weekend.