Why Xi Jinping’s India Visit Matters Beyond the BRICS Summit

Source: Outlook India | Original Published At: 2026-09-11 08:16:08 UTC

Key Points

• Chinese President Xi Jinping is scheduled to attend the 18th BRICS Summit in India after skipping the previous summit in Brazil.
• Analysts view the visit as a strategic move that may strengthen China’s position ahead of a potential summit with Donald Trump.
• The BRICS Summit agenda is expected to include Global South development and reform of international institutions such as the IMF and World Bank.
• BRICS members may discuss a direct settlement mechanism that does not rely on the US dollar.
• India is promoting central bank digital currencies for cross-border payments, while China is advancing wider use of the digital yuan.
• Chinese scholars link the summit to China’s multilateral messaging and to BRICS expansion, including Iran’s membership.