BRICS Gets a Bigger Chinese Guest List as Xi May Arrive With 400-Member Entourage

Chinese President Xi Jinping is likely to attend the BRICS leaders summit in New Delhi on September 12 and 13, according to information, the visit would be closely watched as Xi first trip to India since October 2019 and could provide another opportunity for New Delhi and Beijing to manage their relationship after years of tensions. Possible Xi visit takes shape According to sources cited in the report, Beijing has conveyed to New Delhi that Xi is likely to attend the summit. A Chinese advance team has reportedly already arrived in India to assist with security and protocol preparations for the possible presidential visit. Xi is also expected to travel with a sizeable delegation that could include Chinese officials, business representatives and state backed media personnel. His participation would make the Chinese President one of the most closely watched attendees at the BRICS gathering. First India visit since 2019 Xi last visited India in October 2019, when he met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Chennai for an informal summit. Relations between the two countries subsequently deteriorated sharply following the 2020 military confrontation along the Line of Actual Control in eastern Ladakh. Although disengagement in the immediate confrontation areas was completed in 2024, the broader military deployment remains significant. According to the report, more than 50,000 troops are still positioned on each side of the LAC in the region, while wider de-escalation and troop de-induction have yet to take place. India-China rapprochement The possible Delhi visit comes amid efforts by both countries to stabilise bilateral relations. In October 2024, Modi and Xi met on the sidelines of the BRICS summit in Kazan, Russia. That meeting helped initiate a process aimed at restoring ties after years of military and diplomatic friction. Since then, the two countries have taken several steps towards normalising relations, including the resumption of direct flights and visas, easing certain restrictions involving Chinese companies and restarting the Kailash Mansarovar pilgrimage. The progress, however, has not eliminated the underlying border dispute or the military presence along the LAC. BRICS diplomacy takes centre stage India is keen to host BRICS leaders at the highest level for the September summit. Sources cited in the report said that, barring unforeseen developments, participation at the highest level has been conveyed to New Delhi. Xi presence would add particular diplomatic significance to the gathering because of the complicated relationship between India and China. For New Delhi, the summit could provide an opportunity to engage Beijing at the highest political level while keeping broader BRICS cooperation on the agenda. Bharat Mandapam likely venue The official venue for the summit has not yet been announced. However, sources indicate that Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi is likely to be the preferred location. The Prime Minister Office has reportedly informed participating BRICS countries that leaders will not undertake separate bilateral visits alongside the summit. However, bilateral meetings with visiting leaders are expected to take place during the summit. What Xi’s visit could mean If Xi attends, the visit would represent an important moment in the gradual India, China rapprochement that began after the tensions of 2020. It would also allow Modi and Xi another opportunity for direct engagement, although major issue including the unresolved border situation and the lack of full military de-escalation would remain. For now, Xi participation is still described as likely rather than officially confirmed. But the reported arrival of a Chinese advance team suggest that preparations for his possible visit are already moving ahead. The September BRICS summit could therefore become more than a multilateral gathering- it may also serve as another test of how far India and China are prepared to take their cautious efforts to stabilise bilateral relations.