Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in New Delhi on Saturday to attend the BRICS leaders’ summit and hold talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Indian television channels reported.
The visit marks Xi’s first trip to India in seven years, coming as the two Asian neighbours make cautious efforts to restore relations strained by a deadly military confrontation along their disputed Himalayan border in 2020. The clash resulted in the deaths of 20 Indian and four Chinese soldiers.
Xi and Modi are scheduled to meet on Saturday evening, marking their third meeting in the past three years, according to a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson who spoke on Friday.
The spokesperson said China is prepared to cooperate with India by approaching bilateral relations from a strategic and long-term perspective, managing differences appropriately and working towards being “good neighbours and friends” as well as mutually supportive partners.
The BRICS grouping comprises Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Egypt, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Iran and the United Arab Emirates.
The summit is taking place against the backdrop of heightened global geopolitical tensions, including the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran and the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict. Both crises have contributed to disruptions in international energy supplies, trade and transportation.
