Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in New Delhi on Saturday for the BRICS summit, alongside leaders from India, Russia, and Iran. The summit, overshadowed by ongoing wars in the Middle East and Ukraine, as well as global trade turbulence and energy security issues, will test the unity of the 11-nation bloc. Xi's visit is particularly significant as it marks his first to India since 2019, amid a cautious thaw in relations between the two nuclear-armed rivals.
Xi received a red-carpet welcome with an honor guard and traditional dancers. His arrival comes six years after a deadly military clash along their disputed Tibetan border. Despite gradual improvements in ties through restored flights, visas, and high-level contacts, the underlying territorial dispute remains unresolved, with both sides maintaining heavy military deployments along their roughly 3,500-kilometer border.
Xi is scheduled to hold face-to-face talks with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Both leaders are expected to discuss the border issue, aiming for an 'early and substantial harvest,' according to Pradeep Taneja, a China-India expert at the University of Melbourne. Deep mistrust persists, complicated by their contested Himalayan frontier, a widening trade deficit, and strategic rivalry.
The BRICS summit, created in 2009 as a forum for major emerging economies, faces internal divisions due to the ongoing conflicts. BRICS nations represent 50 percent of the world's population, 40 percent of global GDP, and more than 25 percent of global trade. The expansion of BRICS, including countries with differing positions on the US-Iran war, is seen as both an achievement and a constraint.
FAQs
Question: What is the significance of Xi Jinping's visit to India? Answer: Xi Jinping's visit to India is significant as it marks his first visit since 2019 and represents a cautious thaw in relations between the two nuclear-armed rivals. It is also a key moment for discussing unresolved territorial disputes and improving diplomatic ties.
Question: What are the main issues dominating the BRICS summit? Answer: The main issues dominating the BRICS summit include the conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine, global trade turbulence, and energy security. These issues are testing the unity and effectiveness of the 11-nation bloc.
Question: How has the relationship between China and India evolved since the 2020 military clash? Answer: Since the 2020 military clash, China and India have gradually improved their relations through restored flights, visas, and high-level contacts. However, the underlying territorial dispute remains unresolved, and both sides continue to maintain heavy military deployments along their border.
