PM Modi Invites Xi Jinping to India for 2026 BRICS Summit in Sign of Strengthening Ties
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday extended an invitation to Chinese President Xi Jinping to visit India for the BRICS Summit in 2026, marking a significant gesture of goodwill during their bilateral meeting in Tianjin. The invitation came as the two leaders held extensive discussions on the sidelines of the 25th Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit.
According to a press release from the Ministry of External Affairs, President Xi thanked PM Modi for the invitation and offered China’s full support for India’s BRICS presidency. During their meeting, both leaders underscored the importance of a healthy India-China relationship, with PM Modi noting in his opening remarks that the welfare of crores of people is linked to their bilateral cooperation.
President Xi reciprocated the sentiment, stating it is vital for the “elephant and the dragon to walk together.” This was PM Modi’s first visit to China in seven years. The MEA release emphasized that both leaders reaffirmed their view of each other as development partners, not rivals, and stressed that their differences should not be allowed to become disputes.
The discussions also touched upon the need for both nations to pursue strategic autonomy and not view their relationship through the lens of a third country.
