Chinese President Xi Jinping is heading to India for a summit on Saturday that could mark the biggest step in a cautious thaw after years of hostility. It would be his first trip to India since October 2019, after Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited China in August 2025. The two countries are slowly improving ties, but the disputed Himalayan border, a heavy trade deficit and strategic rivalry still weigh on relations.
Chinese President Xi Jinping, right, and India Prime Minister Narendra Modi meet on the sidelines of the BRICS summit in Kazan, Russia on Oct. 23, 2024. Reuters-Yonhap
NEW DELHI — Chinese President Xi Jinping heads to India for a summit on Saturday that could mark the biggest step in a cautious thaw after years of hostility between the two countries.
Xi's visit for the September 12-13 BRICS summit would be his first trip to India since October 2019, and follows Prime Minister Narendra Modi's August 2025 visit to China.
The nuclear-armed Asian giants have been been slowly improving ties since a deadly 2020 border clash. Flights, some visas and high-level contacts have gradually resumed.
