Chinese President plans major New Delhi trip with 400 officials

Chinese President Xi Jinping is likely to travel to New Delhi for the upcoming BRICS summit on September 12 and 13. He will reportedly bring a large delegation of around 400 officials for this significant diplomatic event. This proposed Xi Jinping India visit marks his first trip to the country in seven years. According to sources familiar with the ongoing preparations, officials from Beijing are already aggressively working on hotel reservations and stringent security arrangements across the Indian capital.

Delegation Size Doubles

During his previous trip for the 2019 informal summit in Mamallapuram, fewer than 200 officials accompanied him. Now, that number is expected to double, reflecting a major shift in diplomatic focus. Neither country has officially confirmed these specific travel plans yet. When questioned about the potential trip, Beijing simply stated its strong support for India hosting the BRICS framework, without offering further details on travel logistics. This upcoming diplomatic push follows an invitation Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended during the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation gathering last year. Relations between the two Asian neighbours deteriorated sharply following the June 2020 Galwan Valley military clash, which resulted in significant casualties and a prolonged border standoff. However, both nations reached a critical disengagement agreement in October 2024, significantly easing military tensions along the 3,800-km disputed border.

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Ajit Doval and Wang Yi

Leading up to this highly anticipated summit, National Security Adviser Ajit Doval travelled to Beijing to negotiate border resolutions with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi. Both nations have recently taken clear steps to rebuild their direct engagement, including resuming direct commercial flights and easing restrictive visa rules. Observers view this potential trip as a crucial marker for the future of India-China relations, especially as emerging economies look to strengthen mutual cooperation on global trade and regional security.

Image Courtesy: ANI