Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in New Delhi on Saturday, September 12, 2026, to attend the 18th BRICS Summit, according to reports. One report described the trip as a two-day visit and his first to India in seven years, while another said it was his first visit to Delhi since 2014.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to hold bilateral talks with Xi on Saturday evening, with the meeting listed for 6 pm. Trade and investment ties were expected to be key areas of discussion, and one report said the meeting was aimed at improving trade and people-to-people relations while border tensions remained in the background.

Xi was received at Delhi airport by Union Minister Jitin Prasada, and cultural artistes performed traditional dances. The visit was seen as an opportunity to further normalise relations that had come under severe strain after a military standoff in eastern Ladakh, according to people familiar with the matter.

The two leaders are meeting for the third year in a row, with previous meetings in Kazan and Tianjin, a report said. The visit follows recent high-level exchanges between the two countries.

A day before Xi's arrival, the Tibetan community voiced opposition to the visit with protests at different locations in the city, according to a report.