BRICS 2026: Can Xi’s New Delhi Visit Give India-China Ties A Fresh Start?

Back in 2001, BRIC was an economic concept coined and popularised by economist Lord Jim O’Neill. The term initially referred to four countries — Brazil, Russia, India and China — which were seen as some of the world’s fastest-growing emerging economies. In 2009, the grouping formally evolved into a diplomatic bloc, with South Africa joining in 2011 to form BRICS.

The grouping has since expanded significantly into an 11-member bloc, with Indonesia becoming its latest full member in 2025.

Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran and the UAE joined in 2024. Together, the BRICS countries account for around 49.5% of the global population and nearly 40% of global GDP.

New Delhi will host the 18th BRICS Summit on September 12-13, 2026, with leaders and senior representatives from member countries expected to attend, including Chinese President Xi Jinping, Russian President Vladimir Putin, Brazilian Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa.

When O’Neill first proposed the BRIC concept, India and China were emerging as two of the most important growth stories in the global economy. Nearly 25 years later, both remain among the world’s largest markets and fastest-growing economies.

However, their relationship has also become increasingly complex, with border tensions and trade restrictions creating friction between New Delhi and Beijing.

These tensions have also affected businesses, particularly sectors that rely on Chinese machinery, components and other inputs.

At the same time, the two economies remain closely linked through trade and investment, making their engagement within BRICS particularly significant.

The upcoming summit could provide an opportunity for India and China to manage some of these economic differences, with investment, artificial intelligence and technology expected to feature prominently as the global economic landscape undergoes rapid change.

The summit is also taking place against the backdrop of heightened tensions in West Asia and uncertainty over US tariff and trade policies.

With BRICS now representing a much larger share of the global economy, the Delhi summit could test whether the expanded grouping can translate its growing economic weight into a stronger voice in an increasingly multipolar global order.

Chinese President Xi Jinping is expected to visit New Delhi for the BRICS Summit, his first trip to India since 2019.

His presence carries significance beyond the summit itself, coming after years of military tensions, diplomatic strain and efforts by both countries to put guardrails around their rivalry.

The last time Xi and Prime Minister Narendra Modi met in India was before the 2020 military confrontation in eastern Ladakh fundamentally changed bilateral ties.

Their expected meeting in New Delhi could therefore offer an important test of how far the relationship has moved towards a cautious thaw — and where the remaining fault lines lie.

From Galwan To A Cautious Thaw

India-China relations deteriorated sharply after the Galwan Valley clash in June 2020, when soldiers from both sides were killed.

Thousands of troops were subsequently deployed along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), turning the border into the defining issue in bilateral relations.

New Delhi has consistently maintained that broader ties cannot return to normal without peace and tranquillity along the frontier.

India also tightened scrutiny of Chinese investments and technology following the confrontation.

A potential opening emerged in October 2024, when India and China reached an agreement on patrolling arrangements in Depsang and Demchok in eastern Ladakh.

The arrangement enabled both sides to resume patrolling in areas where Indian access had been restricted since 2020.

Modi and Xi subsequently met in Kazan on October 23, 2024, on the sidelines of the BRICS summit, following the patrolling agreement.

The thaw since then has been cautious. The two countries are not moving towards a conventional rapprochement, but rather attempting to manage their strategic competition and prevent differences from escalating into another military confrontation.

Investment And Trade Could Be A Key Flashpoint

Despite political tensions, India and China remain deeply economically interconnected. Chinese machinery, electronics, industrial inputs and other goods remain important to several Indian industries.

At the same time, New Delhi has sought to reduce strategic dependence on China since 2020.

India tightened investment rules for countries sharing a land border with it, increased scrutiny of Chinese technology and remained cautious about allowing Chinese companies into sensitive sectors.

The BRICS meetings could bring some of these issues to the negotiating table.

According to The Indian Express, India’s Commerce and Industry Ministry has consulted industry groups ahead of the summit, with officials expected to raise concerns with Chinese counterparts over investment restrictions, Customs-related hurdles and access to high-technology imports.

Chinese restrictions on key technology-related items have reportedly affected Indian manufacturers.

The automobile industry, for instance, has had to find alternatives amid delays in the supply of rare-earth magnets from China.

India is also expected to seek greater reciprocity in easing procedural bottlenecks and restrictions affecting sourcing and investment.

Technology And AI: The New Area Of Engagement

Technology could become an increasingly important component of India-China economic discussions, particularly as both countries seek to expand their capabilities in artificial intelligence and advanced technologies.

The BRICS agenda under India’s 2026 chairship places considerable emphasis on AI, digital infrastructure, innovation and technology investment.

This provides a wider framework for discussing how emerging economies can cooperate on technologies that will shape future growth.

For India, however, greater technology engagement with China is likely to remain balanced against concerns over cybersecurity, data, critical infrastructure and strategic dependence.

A recent example is New Delhi’s decision to stall a proposed connection between UPI and Alipay+, citing concerns including national security, data privacy, cyber fraud and the handling of transaction data.

The episode illustrates the limits of the current thaw: economic engagement may be returning, but security considerations continue to determine where India draws the line.

What Could The Summit Deliver?

The BRICS summit is unlikely to erase the strategic differences between India and China.

Instead, its importance could lie in whether both sides can identify areas where economic cooperation is possible without compromising their security concerns.

India could push for smoother access to Chinese technology and industrial inputs, greater reciprocity for Indian companies seeking to operate in China, and fewer Customs-related disruptions.

China, meanwhile, could seek greater economic engagement with one of its largest markets as the two countries attempt to stabilise bilateral ties.

The timing is also important. The summit comes amid heightened West Asia tensions and uncertainty over US tariffs and trade policy, giving both India and China an additional incentive to preserve channels of communication and strengthen economic partnerships.

Ultimately, the Delhi BRICS summit could show whether the India-China relationship is moving beyond the post-Galwan freeze — not towards friendship, but towards a more managed rivalry where border stability, investment, technology, AI and trade can coexist despite deep strategic differences.