Suspense Continues Over Xi Jinping’s India Visit

With less than 48 hours to go before the BRICS Summit begins, there is still no clarity on Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit to India. The BRICS Summit is scheduled to be held in New Delhi on the 12th and 13th of this month. Questions remain over whether Xi will attend and, if he does, whether he will hold a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. When asked about Xi’s visit, China’s Foreign Ministry said it had no official information regarding his travel plans. If Xi visits India, it would be his first visit to the country in seven years. A Modi-Xi meeting would attract particular attention given the strained India-China ties following the 2020 Galwan clash.

In recent months, both countries have been making efforts to gradually improve bilateral relations. India has also eased some restrictions imposed on Chinese products in 2020. Despite continuing political differences, trade ties remain strong. Last year, bilateral trade grew 12.4% to a record $155 billion, more than double the $71.6 billion recorded a decade ago. Trade between the two countries has also remained at record levels so far this year. Beijing has recently described India and China as partners rather than competitors and said both leaders want the two countries to create opportunities for each other’s development. The key question now is how far these statements will translate into tangible progress in bilateral relations.