BRICS Summit 2026 LIVE updates: Chinese President Xi arrives in Delhi - The Hindu

**BRICS Summit 2026 – Live Updates: Chinese President Xi Jinping Arrives in New Delhi**

New Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport buzzed with diplomatic fanfare on Thursday as Chinese President Xi Jinping touched down for the opening day of the 2026 BRICS summit. A state‑level reception, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and senior Indian officials, welcomed Xi with a 21‑gun salute, a traditional Indian cultural performance, and a joint press briefing that underscored the “friendship and partnership” between the two largest economies in the grouping. Security details from both nations coordinated a seamless arrival, and Xi’s motorcade was escorted to the Rashtrapati Bhavan, where he is scheduled to meet President Droupadi Murmu before the summit’s high‑level sessions begin.

The meeting between Modi and Xi comes at a pivotal moment for India’s trade strategy, as New Delhi seeks to deepen economic ties while navigating China’s growing influence within BRICS. Analysts from *The Indian Express* note that India hopes to secure greater market access for its pharmaceuticals, textiles, and technology services, but warn that China’s dominance in the bloc’s trade agenda could limit the scope of any concessions. The summit’s agenda includes discussions on a new development bank, digital currency cooperation, and coordinated responses to global supply‑chain disruptions—areas where China’s leverage could shape outcomes. Observers from *Firstpost* caution that portraying the visit as a “reset” in Indo‑China relations would be a miscalculation, given unresolved border disputes and strategic competition in the Indo‑Pacific.

In a related development, China Southern Airlines announced the resumption of direct Guangzhou‑Delhi flights after a six‑year hiatus, marking a tangible boost to people‑to‑people contacts and business travel ahead of the summit. The airline’s re‑launch, reported by *The Hindu*, is expected to increase passenger capacity by 30 percent and signals a willingness to deepen logistical links despite lingering political frictions. While the revived route underscores the economic interdependence the summit seeks to highlight, experts advise that policymakers remain vigilant; expanding connectivity should not obscure deeper strategic challenges that continue to shape Indo‑Chinese relations.