China’s Xi Jinping is likely to attend the September 12–13 BRICS Summit in New Delhi, while Bangladesh PM Tarique Rahman’s participation remains uncertain amid strains in India-Bangladesh ties

Xi Visit Gains Momentum

Chinese President Xi Jinping is likely to visit India this month for the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi, marking his first trip to the country since the 2020 Galwan Valley clash. The summit is scheduled for September 12 and 13.

Reuters reported in August that Xi was likely to attend the meeting with a large Chinese delegation. Sources said preparations for hotels and security arrangements were already under way, although Beijing had not formally confirmed his travel plans at that stage.

Xi’s possible visit has attracted particular attention because India-China relations have gradually improved after years of military tensions along the Line of Actual Control.

Delhi-Beijing Thaw

The proposed visit comes against the backdrop of renewed diplomatic engagement between New Delhi and Beijing.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had invited Xi to attend the BRICS Summit during their meeting on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in Tianjin in August 2025. Xi had welcomed the invitation and offered China’s support for India’s BRICS presidency.

The two countries have since continued discussions on border management, trade and broader bilateral ties. However, the boundary dispute remains unresolved.

A Xi visit would therefore carry significance beyond the BRICS agenda and could provide an opportunity for the two leaders to assess the state of bilateral relations.

Tarique’s Visit Unclear

The situation is markedly different for Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman.

India has invited Rahman to attend the BRICS outreach session in his capacity as chair of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation, or BIMSTEC. New Delhi had also extended a separate invitation for a bilateral visit after he became prime minister in February.

However, Bangladesh has not yet confirmed whether Rahman will travel to New Delhi.

India’s Ministry of External Affairs said on September 4 that it had no specific update on Bangladesh’s participation in the BRICS Summit.

India-Bangladesh Tensions

Rahman’s potential visit has become more complicated because of unresolved political issues between New Delhi and Dhaka.

Relations have been strained following the political upheaval in Bangladesh and the continued presence of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina in India. Dhaka has sought her return, while her activities from Indian territory have become a sensitive issue in bilateral diplomacy.

Diplomatic sources in Bangladesh previously indicated that Rahman’s India visit could depend partly on how New Delhi addresses concerns surrounding Hasina’s activities.

The uncertainty has persisted even as both governments maintain diplomatic communication.

Why BRICS Matters

For Bangladesh, participation in the BRICS outreach programme would provide an important diplomatic opportunity.

Rahman could meet Indian leadership as well as representatives of major emerging economies and regional organisations. The meeting could also offer New Delhi and Dhaka an opportunity to discuss bilateral concerns away from the immediate political friction surrounding Hasina.

Bangladesh’s invitation is linked to its position as the current BIMSTEC chair, and India has stressed that regional-group leaders are routinely invited to BRICS outreach sessions.

Xi-Rahman Contrast

The uncertainty over Rahman’s attendance stands in contrast to the growing expectation surrounding Xi’s India trip.

Xi’s participation would underline the importance both Beijing and New Delhi attach to BRICS despite their strategic differences. It could also create an opportunity for a Modi-Xi meeting on the sidelines.

For Bangladesh, however, the summit carries a different diplomatic calculation. Rahman’s presence could help reset ties with India, while staying away could signal continuing disagreements over unresolved bilateral issues.

What Happens Next

The immediate question is whether China formally confirms Xi’s travel plans and whether Bangladesh announces Rahman’s participation.

Reuters reported that Xi’s final itinerary and any bilateral meeting with Modi had yet to be finalised.

On the Bangladesh side, New Delhi’s latest position remains that it has no specific update on Dhaka’s participation.

If Xi attends, his visit would be closely watched as a potential marker of the India-China thaw after the Galwan-era tensions. If Rahman also travels to New Delhi, the BRICS outreach could become an important platform for India and Bangladesh to begin addressing their strained relationship at the highest political level.

Chinese President Xi Jinping is likely to attend the BRICS Summit in New Delhi next month with a delegation of around 400 officials, in what could be his first India visit in seven years.

Chinese President Xi Jinping is likely to visit India in September 2026 to attend the upcoming BRICS Summit in New Delhi, according to multiple sources cited in reports. If confirmed, it would be Xi's first visit to India in seven years and could mark an important step in the gradual effort to stabilise India-China relations after the 2020 border crisis.

India is scheduled to host the BRICS Summit on September 12 and 13. Xi's possible participation is being closely watched because the summit could provide an opportunity for Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Chinese president to discuss bilateral relations, including the unresolved boundary question and broader regional security concerns.

Xi Visit Still Not Confirmed

The proposed visit has not yet been officially confirmed by Beijing or New Delhi.

Three sources cited in the latest reports said Chinese officials were working on arrangements, including hotels and security protocols. Two Indian sources reportedly said Xi could travel with a delegation of approximately 400 officials, significantly larger than the delegation accompanying him during his previous India visit in 2019.

China's Foreign Ministry said Beijing attaches importance to BRICS cooperation and supports India's efforts as the current chair to successfully host the summit. However, it said there was currently no information available to confirm Xi's travel plans.

First India Visit In Seven Years

If the trip takes place, Xi's September visit would be his first to India since 2019, when he travelled to Chennai for an informal summit with Modi.

India-China relations deteriorated sharply after the deadly military confrontation in eastern Ladakh in 2020. The crisis resulted in casualties on both sides and triggered a prolonged military standoff along the Line of Actual Control.

The two countries reached a disengagement agreement in October 2024, helping create conditions for gradual diplomatic engagement.

Modi-Xi Talks In Focus

A potential Xi visit would create an opportunity for another high-level Modi-Xi engagement.

The two leaders have met on the sidelines of international summits since the 2020 crisis, including at the BRICS summit in Kazan in October 2024. However, a visit by Xi to India would carry greater diplomatic significance because it would represent a return to New Delhi after seven years.

Any bilateral meeting could focus on restoring confidence, maintaining peace along the border and expanding areas of practical cooperation.

Border Issue Remains Key

Despite the recent improvement in relations, the India-China boundary dispute remains unresolved.

The two countries share a roughly 3,800-km disputed and largely undemarcated Himalayan border. The 2020 clashes led to a prolonged military standoff and significantly affected political, economic and people-to-people relations.

Recent developments have shown that border tensions have not completely disappeared. India has stressed that peace and tranquillity along the border remain essential for broader improvement in bilateral relations.

Doval In Beijing

The possible Xi visit comes as India's National Security Adviser Ajit Doval is in Beijing for the 25th round of Special Representatives' talks on the boundary question.

Doval is scheduled to meet Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi as both sides discuss the border dispute and measures to maintain stability along the Line of Actual Control.

The timing of the talks is significant because progress on the boundary issue could help determine the pace at which wider India-China relations normalise.

BRICS Summit Matters

India's hosting of the BRICS summit gives Beijing an important diplomatic platform.

The summit is expected to bring together leaders of major emerging economies, with discussions covering economic cooperation, trade, development and global governance.

However, Xi's possible presence could attract greater attention to India-China relations than to the wider BRICS agenda, particularly given the history of tensions between the two countries.

Economic Engagement Returns

The potential visit also comes amid signs of renewed economic engagement between India and China.

Recent reports have pointed to increased Chinese investment interest in India as New Delhi gradually recalibrates some restrictions while continuing to maintain national-security safeguards.

The two countries still have substantial trade and economic interests, although political tensions have affected investment, technology cooperation and business ties in recent years.

What Happens Next

The immediate focus will be on whether Beijing formally confirms Xi Jinping's September visit to New Delhi.

If confirmed, the trip could become one of the most important India-China diplomatic engagements since the 2020 border crisis. A Modi-Xi meeting could provide an opportunity to discuss border stability, trade, investment and broader regional issues.

However, expectations are likely to remain cautious. The proposed visit represents a possible thaw, but it does not by itself resolve the fundamental differences between the two countries.

For now, Xi's participation remains likely but officially unconfirmed, while preparations and diplomatic discussions continue ahead of the September 12-13 BRICS Summit.

Note: Xi Jinping's visit has not been officially confirmed. Details regarding the delegation size, travel arrangements and any proposed bilateral meeting remain subject to confirmation by the Chinese and Indian governments.