BRICS Summit 2026 LIVE updates: Chinese President Xi arrives in Delhi - thehindu.com

**BRICS Summit 2026: Chinese President Xi Jinping Touches Down in Delhi** *New Delhi, September 12, 2026* – Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in India today for the opening day of the 2026 BRICS summit, a high‑profile gathering of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. The 24‑hour visit, scheduled to run through Thursday, will see Xi engage in a series of bilateral talks with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, as well as multilateral sessions aimed at deepening economic cooperation among the five members. The summit’s agenda includes discussions on trade facilitation, digital infrastructure, and the coordination of emerging market policies in the face of shifting global power dynamics.

Security for the visit has been ramped up to an unprecedented level, with more than 15,000 personnel deployed across airports, hotels and the summit venue. New Delhi’s Ministry of Home Affairs coordinated the operation, integrating forces from the police, paramilitary units and intelligence agencies to ensure a seamless entry and movement for the Chinese delegation. The meticulous planning reflects both the logistical challenges of hosting a world leader and the heightened vigilance stemming from recent geopolitical tensions in the Indo‑Pacific region.

The diplomatic encounter also coincides with a symbolic gesture toward normalising people‑to‑people contact: China Southern Airlines announced the resumption of direct Guangzhou‑Delhi flights, ending a six‑year hiatus that began amid the pandemic and subsequent trade frictions. While Indian officials view the summit as an opportunity to secure greater trade cooperation and technology sharing, analysts caution that China’s growing influence within BRICS may test India’s strategic autonomy. The meetings are expected to produce a joint communiqué outlining shared priorities, but substantive progress on contentious issues such as market access and supply‑chain security remains to be seen.