Modi and Xi pledge strategic partnership and dispute avoidance at BRICS summit
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping met on the sidelines of the BRICS summit in New Delhi, stressing a strategic, long-term approach and urging that differences not turn into disputes.
During a bilateral meeting at the BRICS summit, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Xi Jinping emphasized a strategic, long-term perspective on India-China ties and warned that disputes should not arise from existing differences. They underscored the importance of peace along the Line of Actual Control and committed to follow existing border agreements while pursuing a fair, reasonable settlement. Economic dialogue covered structural trade imbalances, supply-chain concerns and the need for predictable market access.
The leaders also promoted greater cultural exchange, business cooperation and people-to-people mobility. In parallel, Xi used the summit platform to call for BRICS cooperation on AI, global governance and peace in West Asia, while praising China’s support for India’s BRICS chairmanship.
Why it matters
The meeting signals a possible thaw in India-China relations, affecting regional stability and global trade dynamics.
How the sides frame it
HIGH AGREEMENTAll camps report the same bilateral meeting, stressing a strategic, long-term perspective, border peace and a fair settlement, with only minor variations in wording.
LEFT
Left-leaning coverage highlights the meeting as a step toward peace on the contested border, framing mutual respect, sensitivity and interest as the cornerstone of the India-China relationship.
CENTER
Center coverage frames the talks as a reset of ties, emphasizing a strategic long-term outlook, high-quality cooperation and a multipolar world agenda.
RIGHT
Right-leaning coverage presents the encounter as a pledge of strategic partnership and dispute avoidance, underscoring economic dialogue, cultural exchange and broader BRICS cooperation.
The left emphasises
- peace on the border as a cornerstone
- mutual respect, mutual sensitivity, mutual interest
- fair, reasonable and mutually acceptable solution
The right emphasises
- strategic partnership and dispute avoidance
- economic dialogue on trade imbalances and supply-chain concerns
- cultural exchange and people-to-people mobility
How this story developed
- Sep 4 India Hosts 2026 BRICS Leaders Summit with Global Leaders in New Delhi
- Sep 9 A bilateral meeting between Modi and Putin has been added to the summit agenda.
- Sep 9 India is positioning the summit as a development‑oriented bridge and has set aside the idea of a shared BRICS currency.
- Sep 10 India’s chairmanship delivered 20 sector‑specific agreements on SMEs, startups and supply‑chain resilience.
- Sep 10 Chinese President Xi Jinping is expected to attend the summit, marking his first visit to India since 2019.
- Sep 10 India deploys roughly 25,000 security personnel and implements traffic diversions ahead of the summit.
- Sep 11 Delhi traffic to be rerouted from 2 pm to 8:30 pm on Friday for the BRICS summit.
- Sep 11 Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin rode together in the Russian leader's Aurus limousine from the SCO summit to their bilateral meeting venue in New Delhi.
- Sep 11 Russian President Vladimir Putin, Chinese President Xi Jinping and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian touched down in New Delhi for bilateral talks ahead of the summit.
- Sep 11 The two leaders shared a car ride to the INNOPROM India exhibition after their bilateral talks.
- Sep 11 BRICS expanded to eleven member countries.
- Sep 12 The 18th BRICS summit opened in New Delhi with India presiding and leaders including Xi Jinping arriving for the meeting.
- Sep 12 Modi called for immediate UN Security Council reform and urged the Global South to become a rule‑shaper at the summit's opening.
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