Chinese President Xi Jinping received a warm welcome in New Delhi on Saturday as he arrived in India to attend the 18th BRICS Summit, marking his first visit to the country in nearly seven years.
Union Minister of State for Commerce and Industry Jitin Prasada received Xi Jinping at the airport.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said India is looking forward to "constructive discussions" with the Chinese President during his visit.
Taking to X, the MEA said, "Warm welcome to President Xi Jinping of the People's Republic of China on his arrival in New Delhi to attend the 18th BRICS Summit."
"We look forward to constructive discussions as BRICS continues to advance cooperation and contribute to a more balanced, representative and multipolar world," the ministry added.
Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Narendra Modi are scheduled to hold a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit later on Saturday.
According to Chinese Ambassador to India Xu Feihong, Xi's delegation includes Cai Qi, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and director of the General Office of the CPC Central Committee, as well as Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi.
Xi Jinping's India visit
Xi's visit comes as India and China continue efforts to stabilise their bilateral relationship following the deadly Galwan clashes of 2020.
India has repeatedly maintained that peace and tranquillity in the border areas are essential for the continued development of bilateral relations.
The two leaders had a brief interaction during the recent Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. Modi and Xi had last held a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the SCO Summit in Tianjin in August 2025.
On Friday, Xu Feihong said Beijing and New Delhi were making arrangements for the Modi-Xi meeting and indicated that China would work with India to implement the strategic guidance provided by the two leaders.
"China will work with India to act on the strategic guidance of the two leaders, handle the bilateral relations from a strategic height and long-term perspective, step up communication, enhance cooperation, properly handle differences," Xu said.
He added that the two countries should be "friends enjoying good-neighbourliness and partners helping each other succeed."
India hosts 18th BRICS Summit
As the BRICS chair in 2026, India is hosting the two-day 18th BRICS Summit at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi from September 12 to 13.
The summit brings together leaders of BRICS member and partner countries, along with outreach invitees.
India's BRICS chairship is guided by the theme, "Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability", reflecting Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of a people-centric approach rooted in the spirit of "Humanity First".
The leaders are expected to discuss ways to strengthen intra-BRICS cooperation on common priorities, while also exchanging views on global and regional issues of mutual importance.
BRICS currently comprises Brazil, China, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Iran, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa and the United Arab Emirates.
The BRICS partner countries are Belarus, Cuba, Bolivia, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Nigeria, Thailand, Uganda, Uzbekistan and Vietnam.
Xi's participation in the summit is expected to provide an opportunity for India and China to discuss the broader trajectory of their bilateral relationship, including sustained communication, cooperation and the management of differences.
