- Xi Jinping is expected to visit India with a large delegation for the BRICS Summit on September 12 and 13 in New Delhi.
- The visit would be Xi's first to India in nearly seven years, following the 2020 Galwan border clash that badly damaged ties.
- National security adviser Ajit Doval is currently in China discussing the border dispute with officials, including foreign minister Wang Yi.
Chinese President Xi Jinping may be headed to India soon, and if it happens, it would be his first visit to the country in almost seven years. According to people familiar with the matter who spoke to Hindustan Times, Xi is expected to arrive with a large delegation in time for the BRICS Summit 2026, set to take place in New Delhi on September 12 and 13.
The timing is significant. This possible visit comes at a moment when India and China are actively trying to repair a relationship that took a serious hit after the deadly 2020 Galwan border clashes. A source told Reuters that Chinese officials are already busy finalizing hotel arrangements and security protocols, suggesting preparations are further along than just informal talk.
Doval's China trip sets the stage
Adding to the sense that something is shifting, India's national security adviser Ajit Doval is currently in China for a special representatives meeting focused on the long-running border dispute between the two countries. Ahead of a two-day round of discussions, Doval reportedly met with Chinese Vice President Han Zheng. According to China's Foreign Ministry, Doval and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi are expected to hold an "in-depth discussion" covering the boundary question along with other issues of shared interest.
Doval's visit, combined with Xi's expected trip and a string of recent talks between the two nations, appears to be part of a broader effort to rebuild trust after years of strained relations. Some of that progress is already visible on the ground. India and China have renewed trade ties, resumed direct flights between Delhi and Beijing, and brought back the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra, all signs that tensions have started to ease.
A relationship years in the making
This is not the first step in the thaw either. Prime Minister Narendra Modi made his own first visit to China in seven years last year, traveling to Tianjin for the SCO Summit 2025. During that trip, Modi held a bilateral meeting with Xi Jinping and spoke about the need for relations built on trust, respect and sensitivity.
As quoted in a news report, Modi reportedly said, "We had a productive meeting in Kazan. Our relationship got a positive direction. There is peace and stability on the borders. Kailash Mansarovar Yatra has resumed. Direct flights are also being started between the two countries." He added that cooperation between the two nations affects the interests of "2.8 billion people," calling it something the world needs, and said both sides remain "committed to taking our relations forward based on mutual trust, respect and sensitivity."
Whether Xi's visit is formally confirmed remains to be seen, but between the diplomatic groundwork already underway and the upcoming BRICS Summit providing a natural occasion, the pieces do seem to be falling into place for the two leaders to meet on Indian soil for the first time in years.
