Chinese President Xi Jinping will attend the 18th Brics summit in New Delhi from September 12 to 13, marking his first visit to India in seven years. The visit comes amid efforts to stabilise bilateral ties following years of border tensions, including the 2020 Galwan Valley clashes. The Chinese foreign ministry confirmed the invitation from Prime Minister Narendra Modi, though earlier statements from a spokesperson had denied any confirmation of the visit.

The high-stakes visit is expected to include a large delegation and focus on border peace and strengthening relations. Bilateral trade between India and China rose 12.4 per cent to $155 billion in 2023, more than double the $71.6 billion reported a decade earlier. In the first seven months of this year, trade further increased by 23 per cent compared to the same period in 2022.

The visit follows a political row over the rendition of the national song 'Vande Mataram' in Karnataka, where the state government has mandated the first two stanzas for most events. Meanwhile, the NIA chargesheet revealed that the Red Fort bomber Umar-un-Nabi initially targeted Lal Mandir but changed plans due to traffic and police presence before detonating an IED near the Red Fort, killing 11 people and injuring 29.

Trump’s proposed $5,000 dividend for every adult citizen if Republicans win Congress has drawn comparisons with India’s direct welfare schemes, though the two approaches differ in implementation. Iran’s ballistic missile strike on a US base in Jordan reportedly damaged multiple aircraft, including an A-10 and around eight F-15 jets, though Jordan’s air defences intercepted 18 of 20 missiles fired.

The visit is expected to be a significant step in improving India-China relations, though challenges remain, particularly in the context of regional security and economic cooperation. The exact details of the summit agenda and the nature of the bilateral discussions remain unclear.