BRICS 2026: Modi-Xi talks focus on trade, investment and border peace – ‘Differences should not become disputes’

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday hosted Chinese President Xi Jinping for bilateral talks focusing on normalising ties by expanding trade and investment.

The meeting took place hours after Xi arrived in the national capital on a two-day visit to attend the BRICS Summit, marking his first trip to India in seven years.

The meeting signalled that the two most-populous countries of the world are making cautious effort to put their bilateral relationship on a more stable footing, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping stressing the need for a long-term, strategic approach to ties.

“They reaffirmed that both countries should take a strategic and long term perspective of their ties. Differences should not become disputes. Prime Minister highlighted that both sides must be guided by three mutuals- mutual respect, mutual sensitivity and mutual interest,” MEA said about the meeting.

This visit marks Xi’s first trip to India in seven years – a step that is expected to boost the overall trajectory of bilateral relations.

Xi last visited India in 2019 for an informal summit with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Mamallapuram near Chennai. The most recent meeting between the two leaders was on 31 August 2025, on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Tianjin, China.

During the talks, Prime Minister Modi emphasized that peace and tranquility in the border areas remains an essential basis for the continued development of bilateral relations, MEA said. Modi also underlined the need for both sides to observe existing agreements and understandings on border related issues.

“The two leaders expressed commitment to a fair, reasonable, and mutually acceptable resolution of the boundary question proceeding from the political perspective of their overall bilateral relations and the long-term interests of the two peoples,” read the statement.

Different national circumstances

Earlier, Xi sat down for bilateral talks with Modi in New Delhi, saying in televised comments that he was pleased to be back in India for the latest of their frequent interactions over the past 12 years. As major members of the Global South, India and China also carry significant global responsibilities, said Xi, who arrived in New Delhi earlier on Saturday for the annual summit of the BRICS nations.

“Although the two countries have different national circumstances, they can certainly learn from each other’s strengths and make up for each other’s weaknesses, support one another, help each other succeed, and develop together,” he said.

Before the 2019 visit, Xi had visited Goa in 2016 to attend the BRICS summit. Xi made his first visit to India in September 2014, when he held extensive talks with Modi. The 2014 visit came during the first terms of both leaders.

The two leaders took note of the progress in people-to-people ties and underscored the need to further promote cultural exchanges, business linkages and greater mobility between the two countries, MEA said.

“On economic and trade relations, they underlined the need to address each other’s concerns, including structural trade imbalance and supply chain issues, and facilitation of meaningful and predictable market access,” the note read.

Crucial for India-China ties

Xi’s meeting with Modi is significant, as it comes amid efforts by India and China to normalise relations after a prolonged freeze following the 2020 Eastern Ladakh standoff.

Ahead of Xi’s visit, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi held extensive talks in Beijing last month on the boundary issue, maintaining peace along the border and steps to improve bilateral relations.

During the 25th round of Special Representatives‘ talks held in Beijing on 25 August, the two sides reached an eight-point consensus and agreed to advance discussions on an “Early and Substantial Harvest” of boundary delimitation and border management.

Against the backdrop of these substantive discussions on the boundary and wider bilateral issues, a Modi-Xi meeting on the sidelines of the BRICS summit was closely watched for indications of the future course of India-China relations.

“The two leaders agreed that both sides must continue to expand common ground on regional and global issues, and in addressing challenges,” MEA note on Saturday’s Modi-Xi meeting said.

PM Modi appreciated China’s support for India’s BRICS chairship and its contributions towards the success of the BRICS Summit-2026.