Damascus: Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in the Indian capital for the 18th BRICS Leaders' Summit, marking his first visit to India since 2019.

According to Anadolu Agency, Xi is accompanied by Cai Qi, a top-ranking official and director of the Communist Party of China General Office, as well as Foreign Minister Wang Yi. This visit is significant, occurring after a prolonged military face-off between Chinese and Indian forces at the Ladakh border, which had strained bilateral relations to their lowest in decades.

Ties between the two nations have gradually improved, with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi visiting China last year to foster high-level engagements. Xi's visit follows an invitation from Modi to participate in the two-day BRICS summit, where he is also expected to hold bilateral talks with Modi.

The summit, which gathers leaders from Asia, Africa, the Middle East, and Latin America, aims to discuss global trade, economic cooperation, and regional and international developments. Notable attendees include Russian President Vladimir Putin and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, who have already arrived in India.

The expanded BRICS membership now includes Brazil, China, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Iran, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, and the United Arab Emirates, with several partner countries also involved. The previous BRICS summit was held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in 2025, and China is set to host the 2027 summit.