Less than 48 hours remain before the commencement of the BRICS summit, yet suspense persists regarding Chinese President Xi Jinping's upcoming visit to India. This uncertainty stems from the fact that neither the Ministry of External Affairs of India nor China's foreign ministry has provided any concrete information on the matter. Nonetheless, various media reports suggest that Xi Jinping's arrival in New Delhi is all but certain.
On Thursday, China stated that it currently has no fresh updates regarding Xi Jinping's tour to India. The high-profile summit is scheduled to take place on September 12 and 13 at Bharat Mandapam. According to the Chinese state-run newspaper Global Times, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning remarked on September 8 that Beijing places immense importance on BRICS cooperation and fully supports India's efforts to successfully host this year's leaders' summit.
Official stance on the Chinese delegation
During a press briefing by the Chinese foreign ministry, when questioned about who would lead the delegation from Beijing, spokesperson Mao Ning responded that updates would be shared in due course and asked journalists to stay tuned. She stated that any further developments would be communicated on time, urging reporters to wait patiently.
Although Xi is widely expected to travel to Delhi, Beijing has yet to officially confirm his participation. According to reports, his attendance is strongly anticipated, which would mark his first visit to India in seven years. This news arrives as Delhi prepares to welcome several global leaders, including Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Arrival schedules of world leaders
Reports indicate that Putin is expected to arrive on September 11, while Xi is likely to reach the capital on September 12. Unlike Western democracies, which typically release detailed itineraries for heads of state weeks in advance, China's foreign ministry rarely confirms travel plans until days before a trip begins.
In many instances, specific domestic activities or internal travels within China are reported by state media only after the leader has already arrived at the destination or concluded the visit. Consequently, even during major international events like the upcoming BRICS summit in India, Chinese officials frequently withhold final confirmation of President Xi Jinping's specific schedule until the very last moment.
