New Delhi is hosting the 18th BRICS Summit from September 12. The two-day summit will bring the heads of BRICS member countries together at Bharat Mandapam, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin among the leaders attending.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping are scheduled to hold a bilateral meeting during the BRICS Summit. Xi Jinping will visit India nearly seven years after his previous visit to the country.
The meeting comes at a time when India-China relations have faced tensions over the border dispute and strategic differences in recent years. The two leaders have met several times at international gatherings, but their meeting in India is taking place after a long gap.
The 2020 Galwan Valley clash had a significant impact on India-China relations. Along with military tensions along the border, the two countries have also faced challenges concerning economic and business ties.
The upcoming talks are expected to focus on the two countries' bilateral relationship. China has also expressed its desire to advance dialogue and cooperation between India and China. Beijing has said the two countries should appropriately manage their differences and focus on long-term cooperation.
The Modi-Xi Jinping talks are expected to cover economic relations along with border and security-related issues. The two sides may discuss measures to strengthen military and diplomatic dialogue and maintain stability along the border.
India's key concern on the trade front is the growing trade deficit with China. Bilateral trade between the two countries is estimated at around $151 billion. India's imports from China are about $131 billion, while India's exports are around $20 billion.
India wants greater access for its products in the Chinese market and seeks to reduce the trade imbalance. Other issues that may feature in the discussions include expanding opportunities for Indian companies in the Chinese market, facilitating the supply of machinery and technology products, investment-related regulations, visa arrangements and improving air connectivity between the two countries.
The BRICS Business Forum meetings have also emphasised opening markets to one another and strengthening supply chains. India wants BRICS member countries to provide better market access for their products, raw materials and critical minerals.
Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal has stressed the need to make trade among BRICS countries more balanced and ber. India aims to develop reliable partnerships to expand access for its products to global markets.
For China, BRICS is also an important platform for discussions on economic cooperation and global trade. Amid US tariff and trade policies, China is seeking to strengthen multilateral economic cooperation through BRICS. India and China also have some common economic interests on this issue.
Ahead of the BRICS Summit, Prime Minister Narendra Modi held bilateral talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian. The meeting between Modi and Putin lasted about 45 minutes, while his discussion with the Iranian president lasted around 40 minutes.
The two meetings covered bilateral relations and international issues.
The first major closed-door session of BRICS leaders will take place in the afternoon. Its theme is inclusive global governance and strengthening multilateralism.
The leaders will then visit the 'Bharat Innovates Exhibition'. An official family photograph and a joint tree-planting programme are scheduled for the evening. The day will conclude with a BRICS leaders' dinner hosted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
