- Modi and Xi may hold first bilateral since Galwan.
- Talks aim to stabilize strained India-China post-Galwan ties.
- Recent diplomatic activity eased tensions; core border issues remain.
- Leaders to discuss border, trade, and regional security agendas.
BRICS summit 2026: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping could hold their first face-to-face bilateral meeting since the 2020 Galwan Valley clash when the Chinese leader arrives in New Delhi for the BRICS Summit. The two leaders are expected to meet on the sidelines of the 18th BRICS Leaders’ Summit on September 12. However, neither New Delhi nor Beijing has officially confirmed the proposed bilateral meeting so far.
If the talks go ahead, they would come at a significant moment for India-China relations, with both sides attempting to stabilise ties after years of military tensions, diplomatic strain and weaker economic engagement.
Xi Returns After Seven Years
Xi is scheduled to arrive in New Delhi on Saturday for the BRICS gathering, which India is hosting on September 12 and 13.
The visit would mark his first trip to India in seven years and his first since the border crisis of 2020. The two leaders most recently encountered each other at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, where they exchanged a handshake but did not hold formal bilateral discussions.
Diplomatic engagement between India and China has nevertheless picked up in recent months.
National Security Adviser Ajit Doval travelled to China for high-level discussions ahead of Xi’s visit. The Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination on India-China border affairs has also met, while the two countries’ Special Representatives have held talks on the boundary question.
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Galwan Still Shapes Ties
The relationship between the two Asian powers suffered a major setback following the deadly Galwan Valley confrontation in eastern Ladakh in June 2020.
Twenty Indian soldiers were killed in the clash. China subsequently acknowledged the deaths of four of its soldiers. The confrontation triggered a prolonged military stand-off and had repercussions well beyond the border, affecting diplomatic contacts, political ties and economic relations.
Multiple rounds of military and diplomatic negotiations have since focused on disengagement and reducing the possibility of another confrontation along the LAC.
While the withdrawal of troops from some friction points has eased immediate tensions, the wider boundary dispute remains unresolved.
Since late 2024, however, India and China have taken several steps towards restoring engagement. Border discussions between Special Representatives have resumed, while flights and pilgrimage routes have reopened. Bilateral trade also reached a record $155 billion last year.
Against this backdrop, a Modi-Xi conversation in New Delhi would carry significance beyond the BRICS gathering itself.
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Arunachal Remains Sensitive
The easing of tensions in eastern Ladakh has not resolved the larger territorial dispute between India and China.
Arunachal Pradesh remains one of the most contentious areas. Beijing lays claim to the entire state and refers to it as “Zangnan”, or southern Tibet. India rejects the claim and maintains that Arunachal Pradesh is an integral part of the country.
Recent reports of increased Chinese military activity and assertive posturing in the Upper Subansiri region have added another layer of sensitivity to the relationship.
India has consistently maintained that peace and tranquillity along the border are necessary for broader progress in bilateral relations.
Beijing has also periodically issued lists assigning Chinese names to locations in Arunachal Pradesh since 2017. New Delhi has rejected the move, arguing that changing names cannot alter the territory’s status.
India has similarly opposed China’s objections to its decision to assign standard Indian names to 27 locations and geographical features in Arunachal Pradesh.
Trade, Border On Agenda
If the proposed bilateral takes place, the border issue is expected to be an important subject of discussion.
The two leaders could also address trade and investment, regional security, people-to-people exchanges and mechanisms aimed at preventing another military escalation along the LAC.
The talks would come against a wider geopolitical backdrop. India and China are both dealing with economic and strategic pressures arising from US President Donald Trump’s tariff policies.
The situation in West Asia, particularly following US military action in the region, could also figure in broader discussions between the two countries.
BRICS Adds Wider Context
Xi’s visit will take place alongside the arrival of Russian President Vladimir Putin and other leaders of the expanded BRICS grouping.
For New Delhi, hosting the summit provides an opportunity to underline its emphasis on a multipolar international order and strengthen engagement with major emerging economies.
For India and China, meanwhile, the possibility of a direct Modi-Xi conversation could provide a closely watched test of how far the recent improvement in ties can go.
