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Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit at the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi under India’s chairship on September 12 proved momentous in the trajectory of Sino-India ties.
Xi took part in the 2026 BRICS summit’s closed-door session titled Inclusive Global Governance and Strengthening Multilateralism, where he underscored the role of Brics as a stabilising force in a fragmented world order.
During the event, PM Modi was seen holding hands with Xi and Russian President Vladimir Putin which hinted at consensus among the BRICS powerhouses.
What was Achieved in BRICS Summit 2026?
Xi urged the Brics alliance to play a peacemaking role in the ongoing West Asia conflict.
The state-run CCTV quoted Xi saying that China will collaborate with other BRICS members in this regard, as the war “does not serve the common interests of the international community”.
Xi regarded BRICS as a “leading group” within the Global South and an epitome of self-reliance for underdeveloped and developing countries. He said the alliance should promote development fuelled by innovation.
On September 13, Xi also announced numerous initiatives spanning areas including artificial intelligence and trade, which targeted at bolstering cooperation among the “Greater BRICS” partnership of developing economies, as China intends to establish the alliance into a central stage for development across the Global South.
Political and security cooperation, along with economic and financial partnership, remain crucial areas of focus for the grouping.
The ‘Greater BRICS’ Initiative
The impact of the “Greater BRICS Initiative” will rely on cementing a strong foundation for pragmatic cooperation, Xi said, according to China’s official Xinhua news agency.
Xi added during the summit’s closing session that ‘Greater BRICS countries’ should boost cooperation, foster the stability of industrial and supply chains and collaborate towards creating an integrated market, during the summit’s closing session.
China will spearhead the establishment of a BRICS AI Open Source Zone, which will intend to ensure collaboration on large language models, AI training and the creation of an open AI ecosystem, Xi said.
He also shared a proposal for a BRICS Special Economic Zone partnership and announced that China would host a Brics Service Trade Forum next year to encourage stronger trade and investment links.
BRICS has extended beyond its original members of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, adding Iran, Indonesia, Egypt, Ethiopia, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia, and China and Russia use the term “Greater Brics” to describe the extended grouping.
Impact on Bilateral Ties
The summit offered a key stage for India and China to revisit their bilateral stabilisation bid. During sideline meetings between PM Modi and Xi, both leaders reinforced commitment to retaining peace.
India and China have decided to strengthen business and transport connectivity, as the two countries work to restore bilateral ties severely fractured by a 2020 military clash along the Himalayan border.
The meeting was Xi’s first visit to India in seven years.
While soaring military conflict along the border have eased, several hurdles still remain including bureaucratic procedures, delays in visas and limitations on the sale of industrial equipment.
Key Challenges
The ministry identified future challenges to address, “on economic and trade relations, they underlined the need to address each other’s concerns, including structural trade imbalance and supply chain issues, and facilitation of meaningful and predictable market access”.
China is currently India’s biggest source of imports, but Indian exports to China remain massively lower, causing a yet to be addressed trade deficit of over $100 billion.
Xi said China has continuously seen its ties with India from a strategic and long-term mindset, according to Xinhua news agency.
Discussions have also occurred on the resumption of direct passenger flights and visa streamlining to restart people-to-people interactions. China is set to resume Delhi-Guangzhou flights from September 21.
These efforts become extremely important as China is set to uphold the presidency of BRICS in 2027.
Report reveals big change
According to the Ministry of Defence’s annual report released in September, just days after the summit, China has significantly lowered the deployment of its People’s Liberation Army forces along India’s northern borders.
The Chinese Diplomatic Readout (Xinhua Statement) also revealed that China's efforts signalled an emphasis toward rapid normalisation, cementing the two countries as global partners.
The top Chinese diplomat stated that both leaders had reached the “most important consensus” that China and India must function as partners instead of strategic rivals.