Xi Jinping arrives in Delhi for Brics summit, set for talks with PM Modi

Chinese President Xi Jinping touched down in New Delhi on Saturday, marking the start of his two-day visit to India and his first trip to the country in seven years. The arrival was met with a warm welcome at the Delhi airport by Union Minister of State for Commerce and Industry Jitin Prasada. A cultural performance featuring traditional dances from various regions of India accompanied the leader's arrival.

The Ministry of External Affairs expressed their welcome on X, stating their anticipation for constructive discussions as BRICS continues to foster cooperation and promote a more balanced, representative, and multipolar world.

Xi's visit precedes a bilateral meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, scheduled for 6pm on Saturday. Following a series of high-level engagements aimed at repairing ties between India and China after the Galwan Valley clashes of 2020 and the subsequent military standoff in eastern Ladakh, the Chinese leader's arrival is seen as a crucial step in restoring diplomatic relations.

A Special Representative talk between India's National Security Adviser Ajit Doval and China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi took place in Beijing last month, focusing on the India-China boundary question, trans-boundary cooperation, and maintaining peace along the Line of Actual Control. These talks are facilitated by the boundary talks mechanism, which was established in 2003 to address the 3,488-kilometer India-China border dispute.