New Delhi: China has signalled a fresh push to strengthen ties with India as Chinese President Xi Jinping arrives in New Delhi for the BRICS Summit, with Beijing saying it will work with India to deepen cooperation while managing bilateral differences.
Chinese Ambassador to India Xu Feihong said China and India are preparing for a bilateral meeting between Xi and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the sidelines of the summit. The meeting is scheduled for 5:45 p.m. Saturday.
“China and India are arranging for the bilateral meeting between President Xi and Prime Minister Modi,” Xu said in a post on X on Friday.
China and India are arranging for the bilateral meeting between President Xi and Prime Minister Modi.
This will be the third year in a row for the two leaders to meet with each other, following their meetings in Kazan and Tianjin.
China will work with India to act on the… pic.twitter.com/jD3GeZpjZk
— Xu Feihong (@China_Amb_India) September 11, 2026
Xi left Beijing on Saturday for the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi, travelling to India at Modi’s invitation. He is expected to arrive in the national capital at 12:25 p.m. IST.
The visit marks Xi’s return to India after nearly seven years. It is also his first trip to the country since the 2020 Galwan Valley clash between Indian and Chinese troops, which severely strained bilateral ties.
Relations have gradually improved in recent years following diplomatic and military engagements between the two sides. Modi and Xi met in Kazan in 2024 and again in Tianjin, with Saturday’s meeting set to mark the third consecutive year of engagement between the two leaders.
Xu said Beijing wants the two countries to approach their relationship from a long-term and strategic perspective.
“China will work with India” to follow the strategic guidance of Modi and Xi, increase communication, expand cooperation and “properly handle differences,” he said.
Beijing also described the two countries as neighbours and partners, signalling its interest in maintaining momentum in the improvement of bilateral ties.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning echoed the ambassador’s comments at a media briefing, saying the upcoming meeting would be the third consecutive year in which Modi and Xi have met.
Xi is travelling to New Delhi with a senior delegation that includes Cai Qi, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China and director of the General Office of the CPC Central Committee, as well as Wang Yi, a member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Chinese foreign minister.
The Modi-Xi talks are expected to add a key bilateral dimension to the BRICS Summit, which India is hosting in New Delhi on Sept. 12 and 13.
With both sides seeking to build on the recent thaw while managing longstanding differences, the meeting is likely to be closely watched for signals on the future direction of India-China relations.
