Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in New Delhi to attend the BRICS summit and held bilateral talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. However, Xi did not attend the dinner banquet hosted by the Prime Minister for visiting leaders, triggering questions and speculation.
India hosted the two-day BRICS summit in Delhi after taking over the grouping’s chair this year. Xi’s participation had remained uncertain until the last moment, with his travel confirmed only a day before the summit began—an arrival seen as significant amid ongoing border tensions and wider international geopolitical churn.
During the summit, Xi was seen interacting cordially with leaders including PM Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin, and he reiterated China’s positions. He also backed Modi’s emphasis on giving greater weight to the voices of developing nations in the “Global South.”
On Saturday evening, Modi and Xi met to discuss strengthening bilateral ties, a development viewed as a positive outcome of diplomatic efforts and a possible opening for further progress. Later that night, Modi hosted a banquet for summit leaders, but Xi did not attend.
Neither the Indian government nor the Chinese side issued an official explanation for Xi’s absence. Reports suggested he may have been fatigued due to long travel and time-zone differences, while the Chinese side indicated the trip had opened a “new path” in ties and that Xi missed the banquet for personal reasons. Separately, Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Khalid bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan also did not attend, as his early departure had been planned in advance.
