Xi Jinping gets red carpet at Brics summit amid thaw in India-China relations - theguardian.com

**BRICS Summit Welcomes Xi Jinping on a Red Carpet Amid Signs of an India‑China Rapprochement**

*Johannesburg, South Africa* – Chinese President **Xi Jinping** arrived at the BRICS leaders’ summit on the opening day to a ceremonial red‑carpet reception, a gesture that underscored the high‑profile nature of the gathering and the diplomatic overture toward India. The event, hosted by South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, featured the usual fanfare of state visits, with Xi’s motorcade flanked by security personnel and a guard of honor. Observers noted that the warm reception contrasted sharply with the more guarded tone of previous India‑China encounters, hinting at a tentative easing of tensions that have simmered since the 2020 border standoff in the Himalayas.

Indian Prime Minister **Narendra Modi** met Xi on the sidelines of the summit, marking the first high‑level bilateral talks between the two leaders since the border clashes. In a joint statement, Modi welcomed “the opportunity to discuss cooperation on trade, climate action and regional stability,” while Xi echoed the sentiment, emphasizing “mutual respect and a win‑win partnership.” The two sides agreed to fast‑track the resumption of direct flights between Guangzhou and New Delhi, a route that has been suspended for six years, and to explore mechanisms for de‑escalation along the disputed border. Both leaders also signaled a shared interest in strengthening BRICS as a counterweight to Western‑led institutions, a theme that featured prominently in summit speeches.

The renewed diplomatic momentum comes amid a broader recalibration of India’s foreign policy, which has sought to balance its strategic partnership with the United States against the economic imperatives of engaging China. Analysts from *The Indian Express* and *ThePrint* note that while the thaw is cautious and subject to domestic political pressures in both capitals, the bilateral talks at the summit could lay the groundwork for pragmatic cooperation on supply‑chain diversification, technology exchange, and multilateral climate commitments. However, they also caution that underlying disputes, especially the Line of Actual Control, remain unresolved and could test the durability of this rapprochement.