Chinese President Xi Jinping Skips Modi-Hosted BRICS Gala Dinner After Bilateral With PM Modi

New Delhi: Chinese President Xi Jinping skipped a gala dinner hosted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi for BRICS leaders and other participating dignitaries in New Delhi on Saturday, hours after attending the summit and holding a bilateral meeting with Modi.

Xi’s absence from the dinner stood out as other BRICS leaders, Union ministers and several chief ministers attended the event at Bharat Mandapam. The Chinese president’s decision came on the same day as his closely watched meeting with Modi, his first visit to India in seven years, adding attention to the development amid efforts by New Delhi and Beijing to stabilise bilateral ties.

The exact reason for Xi’s absence was not immediately clear. There was no official explanation from either the Chinese side or the Indian government. However, sources cited in reports suggested that Xi had returned to his hotel to rest after a packed day of engagements.

Xi arrived in New Delhi on Saturday afternoon and attended the BRICS Summit before meeting Modi for bilateral talks. The Chinese president had travelled to India after a gap of seven years, making his presence at the summit one of the most closely watched diplomatic developments of the event.

The Modi-Xi meeting was significant against the backdrop of efforts to improve India-China relations following years of tensions, particularly after the 2020 border confrontation. During their talks, both sides stressed the importance of maintaining peace and stability along the border while seeking to expand cooperation in areas including trade, connectivity and people-to-people exchanges.

The bilateral meeting was also seen as an important step in the ongoing efforts to bring the relationship back on a more stable footing. Xi has maintained that China approaches its relationship with India from a strategic and long-term perspective, while PM Modi has emphasised that peace along the border remains essential for the continued development of bilateral ties.

Against this backdrop, Xi’s decision to miss the dinner attracted attention, although there is currently no official indication that his absence was linked to any disagreement or development during the bilateral meeting.

Another notable absentee from the gala dinner was Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. However, his absence was known to be linked to his departure from India after attending the BRICS Summit during the day.

Russian President Vladimir Putin and other BRICS leaders attended the dinner hosted by PM Modi. Union ministers including Home Minister Amit Shah, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan were also present.

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla attended the dinner along with several chief ministers, including Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari and Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.

The dignitaries travelled from Parliament House to Bharat Mandapam, where the dinner was hosted as part of the BRICS summit programme.

The dinner featured an elaborate Indian menu, including khandvi mille-feuille, khumb galouti, paneer lababdar, gucchi marmik, carrot-bean poriyal and millet pulao. Desserts included Old Delhi fruit cream with jalebi and shahtoot phirni.

India is hosting the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi on September 12 and 13, with leaders from the 11-member grouping, partner countries and representatives of international organisations taking part.

Xi’s visit and his meeting with Modi have emerged as major diplomatic highlights of the summit, particularly as India and China seek to consolidate the recent improvement in ties. His absence from the gala dinner, however, has added an unexpected element to the high-level gathering, with the reason yet to be officially clarified.

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