Chinese President Xi Jinping’s India visit for the 18th BRICS Summit is being viewed as an opportunity to address pending issues, rebuild mutual trust and strengthen political and economic cooperation between the two countries.
The visit comes as India and China seek to improve bilateral engagement and expand economic cooperation while addressing concerns related to trade, market access, connectivity and the existing trade imbalance.
The visit of Chinese President Xi Jinping is an important opportunity to address pending issues, rebuild mutual trust, and strengthen political and economic cooperation, in line with Prime Minister Modi’s emphasis on diplomacy and constructive engagement to resolve differences: Dr. Vijay Kalantri, President All India Association of Industries (AIAI) and Chairman, MVIRDC World Trade Center Mumbai.
“We welcome the visit of Chinese President H.E. Mr. Xi Jinping to India for the 18 BRICS Summit at the invitation of Indian PM Narendra Modi. This is an important opportunity to give fresh momentum to India–China relations and push a restart button for the two major Asian neighbours. As two of the world’s largest economies, India and China should work towards greater trade, investment and business cooperation while addressing existing concerns through dialogue and mutual understanding,” said Dr. Vijay Kalantri, President All India Association of Industries (AIAI) and Chairman, MVIRDC World Trade Center Mumbai.
President Xi Jinping is scheduled to visit India for the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi on 12–13 September 2026. The visit is significant as it after a long thaw of 7 years when ties were nearly frozen due to multiple irritants ranging from unstable border and trade imbalance. This comes at a time when both countries are looking at ways to improve bilateral engagement and strengthen economic cooperation.
Dr. Kalantri further said, “While trade between India and China has grown considerably, the large trade imbalance of 112 billion dollar remains a concern for India. Chinese overcapacity and dumping of merchandise in India have hurt our domestic manufacturers. We sincerely hope that this visit will resolve the issues pertaining to dumping and help to boost trade, investment and connectivity”.
“India and China together represent a major part of the global economy and population. A stable and constructive relationship between the two countries is important not only for Asia but also for global economic growth. We hope the visit will lead to greater confidence, improved business ties and practical cooperation between the two countries,” added Dr. Kalantri.
The visit is also expected to provide an opportunity to strengthen dialogue, improve market access and build a more balanced and mutually beneficial economic relationship between India and China.
The BRICS Summit provides an additional platform for the two countries to engage on broader issues affecting emerging and developing economies. Areas including trade, finance, technology, digitalisation, energy, sustainability and infrastructure could contribute to development priorities across the Global South.
