All eyes are set on Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping as they gear up to attend the 16th BRICS Summit in Kazan, Russia, from October 22 to 24. The summit, hosted by Russian President Vladimir Putin, is expected to focus on critical global issues, with particular attention on the strained relations between India and China. This gathering comes at a pivotal moment, as both nations have been engaged in months of diplomatic and military talks to resolve the ongoing border standoff.
According to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), Prime Minister Modi’s visit will span two days, October 22-23, marking his second trip to Russia this year. His previous visit to Moscow took place in July for a bilateral summit. During the BRICS Summit, Modi is scheduled to hold bilateral meetings with several heads of state, including President Putin, as well as leaders from BRICS member nations such as Brazil, China, and South Africa. However, the global spotlight is on the potential for a bilateral meeting between Modi and Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the summit.
In a parallel announcement, China’s Foreign Ministry confirmed that President Xi would also attend the summit, from October 22 to 24. Xi’s agenda includes attending the leaders’ meeting, participating in expert dialogues, and engaging in discussions on the current international geopolitical situation. Mao Ning, the spokesperson for China’s Foreign Ministry, indicated that President Xi intends to have in-depth discussions with his counterparts at the summit, possibly opening a window for talks with India.
The border tension between India and China has been an ongoing concern, with both nations seeking to find a peaceful resolution. In recent months, foreign ministers and national security advisors (NSAs) from both countries have engaged in several rounds of dialogue. While there have been some positive signals, a final breakthrough remains elusive. The potential for a face-to-face meeting between Modi and Xi could be critical for advancing talks, given the lack of resolution at both the diplomatic and political levels.
The theme of the 16th BRICS Summit, “Strengthening Multilateralism for Just Global Development and Security,” aligns with the broader discussions on geopolitical cooperation and conflict resolution. The summit will serve as an essential platform for leaders to review the progress of BRICS initiatives and explore new areas of collaboration. The MEA emphasized that the summit will provide valuable opportunities for the leaders to address pressing global issues, from economic development to international security.
Ahead of the summit, Russian President Putin expressed optimism about the role BRICS will play in shaping the global economic landscape in the coming years. He noted that BRICS, which now includes nations like Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, and the United Arab Emirates, will be a significant driver of global economic growth, particularly given the relatively fast growth rates of its member countries compared to developed Western nations.
Putin further emphasized that the BRICS grouping would increasingly rely less on external influences or interference, particularly from the West. “The economic growth of BRICS members will increasingly depend less on external influence or interference. This is essentially economic sovereignty,” Putin stated during the BRICS business forum in Moscow. He also projected that the BRICS nations would generate most of the global GDP growth in the foreseeable future, underscoring the bloc’s rising importance in world trade and politics.
For India and China, their respective positions within BRICS have often overlapped on broader global issues, yet tensions at the bilateral level, particularly regarding the border standoff, continue to simmer. Analysts believe that while the summit will focus on multilateral issues, any bilateral discussions between Modi and Xi could significantly impact the future of India-China relations.
With leaders from major emerging economies gathering in Kazan, the BRICS Summit presents an important opportunity not only to address global economic and political issues but also to advance diplomatic efforts between two of Asia’s largest powers. Whether Modi and Xi will meet formally remains to be seen, but their presence at the summit has heightened global anticipation of a potential thaw in India-China relations.
