{
  "id": 6829168,
  "title": "BRICS summit: What trajectory of China-India ties means for the grouping",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/12/brics-summit-what-trajectory-of-china-india-ties-means-for-the",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-12T00:30:09.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Indian Express",
    "slug": "the-indian-express",
    "url": "https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/brics-summit-what-trajectory-of-china-india-ties-means-for-the-grouping-10874214/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "On Saturday, Chinese President Xi Jinping returned to India for the third time since assuming presidency, marking his first visit since a seven-year hiatus largely due to the 2020 border standoff. Though ostensibly attending the BRICS leaders' summit, the conditions stemming from this incident add significance to Xi's trip. The state of their bilateral relations and the turbulent global scenario will significantly influence the summit.\n\nEstablished in 2001, after the 9/11 attacks, under the nomenclature \"BRIC,\" the grouping's trajectory has varied greatly. China has surged ahead to become the second-largest economy after the US, while India has grown at a moderate rate but has fallen behind Beijing. Meanwhile, Russia has faced challenges due to its own conflicts, and Brazil has struggled with regime changes and scandals.\n\nSince 2009, the first BRICS summit, China has grown stronger, weathering the global financial crisis better than many Western nations. However, in the past decade, China's assertive and aggressive stance, particularly in its neighborhood and the South China Sea, has become more prominent. This is in stark contrast to India's perspective, where the situation has been marked by belligerence from the Chinese state.\n\nBorder tensions have been a major issue between India and China, with major standoffs dating back to 1962 and 1967. More recent ones include the 2013, 2014, 2017, and ongoing clashes in eastern Ladakh since 2020. The 2020 clashes resulted in the deaths of 20 Indian defense personnel and at least four Chinese defense personnel. Despite diplomatic and military-level talks that led to a disengagement of troops in 2024, significant structural differences persist, including the massive trade deficit and lack of market access for Indian businesses.\n\nThe BRICS summit, held with India as the host, is taking place amidst these complex conditions. The US government's actions under President Donald Trump over the past one-and-a-half years have further complicated the picture. His arbitrary tariff moves have impacted global economies, including China and India, and both nations now share the same side in countering these effects. Additionally, China's and Russia's actions in their respective neighborhoods have raised concerns about violating territorial integrity and sovereignty, issues that also affect other BRICS members.",
  "summary": null,
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": "The trajectory of China-India ties, marked by border tensions and structural differences, will influence the BRICS summit, as both nations navigate their complex bilateral relationship amidst a turbulent global scenario.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 7,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Free Malaysia Today",
        "title": "Xi heads to India for BRICS summit overshadowed by war",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/11/xi-heads-to-india-for-brics-summit-overshadowed-by-war",
        "published": "2026-09-11T23:16:00.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Malay Mail",
        "title": "China’s Xi arrives in India for Brics summit as wars, energy crisis loom",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/12/chinas-xi-arrives-in-india-for-brics-summit-as-wars-energy-crisis-loom",
        "published": "2026-09-12T00:51:51.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Channel News Asia",
        "title": "Xi Jinping heads to India for BRICS summit overshadowed by war",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/12/xi-jinping-heads-to-india-for-brics-summit-overshadowed-by-war",
        "published": "2026-09-12T02:20:38.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "The Hindu",
        "title": "How Delhi is managing 35 special aircraft during BRICS Summit",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/12/how-delhi-is-managing-35-special-aircraft-during-brics-summit",
        "published": "2026-09-12T04:03:43.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Al Jazeera",
        "title": "China’s Xi heads to India for BRICS summit overshadowed by wars",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/12/chinas-xi-heads-to-india-for-brics-summit-overshadowed-by-wars",
        "published": "2026-09-12T04:27:27.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Antara News Indonesia",
        "title": "Prabowo attends BRICS Summit to strengthen multilateral role",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/12/prabowo-attends-brics-summit-to-strengthen-multilateral-role",
        "published": "2026-09-12T05:57:48.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}