Chinese President Xi Jinping is visiting India on September 12th and 13th. He will participate in the BRICS Summit in New Delhi. His visit to India after nearly seven years comes at a time when India-China relations are gradually normalizing after the 2020 Galwan Valley clash. This visit is considered significant because it will be his first visit to India since 2019. His last visit to India was in October 2019, when he participated in the second informal India-China Summit in Mahabalipuram with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
A bilateral meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Xi Jinping is expected on September 12th during the BRICS Summit. This meeting is particularly significant because it will be the first detailed face-to-face meeting between the two leaders in India since the 2020 Galwan Valley clash. The meeting is likely to raise issues such as the situation along the LAC, border disputes, trade, investment, market access, and economic relations. While efforts have been made to de-escalate tensions between the two countries in recent years, many challenges remain on the border and economic fronts.
Trust Deficit Between the Two Countries
In recent years, both sides have taken steps to de-escalate tensions through military and diplomatic engagement. Xi Jinping’s visit to India is a significant step in this process, as a trust deficit persists between the two countries.
However, a slight thaw in relations between India and China has also been observed, which has impacted people-to-people contact. Direct India-China flights have resumed, and visa procedures have eased somewhat. The Kailash Mansarovar Yatra has also resumed. Both countries have agreed to promote peace along the border, as well as increase pilgrimage and border trade.
Apart from China, Russian President Vladimir Putin, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and leaders of other member countries will also participate in the BRICS summit to be held in Delhi on September 12-13. Issues like global governance, trade, energy and food security, technology, supply chain and economic cooperation will be discussed in the summit.