Xi-Modi Thaw at BRICS Masks Deep Divisions Between Asian Rivals - Bloomberg.com

**BRICS summit in Johannesburg sees a diplomatic thaw between China and India, but deeper fissures linger**

*Johannesburg, South Africa* – The 2024 BRICS summit offered a rare public display of camaraderie between Chinese President Xi Jinping and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. After months of border stand-offs and trade frictions, the two leaders exchanged handshakes and jointly announced a “new era of partnership” during a closed‑door session. Their overture, however, arrived against a backdrop of entrenched competition for influence across Asia, from the Indian Ocean to the Indo‑Pacific, leaving analysts to question how durable the rapprochement will be.

During the summit, President Xi unveiled a five‑point action plan aimed at deepening cooperation among the bloc’s members. The agenda emphasised joint development in artificial intelligence, smart manufacturing, and green technology, positioning China as the “lead driver” of a shared digital future. Xi denounced the “might‑makes‑right” logic that has characterised some recent geopolitical confrontations, pledging instead to “cultivate a collaborative ecosystem” for AI research, standards‑setting, and cross‑border data flows. Indian officials, while welcoming the prospect of technology exchange, raised “red‑flag” concerns over data sovereignty and the potential for Beijing to dominate standards‑setting bodies, echoing warnings from New Delhi’s strategic think‑tanks.

Despite the diplomatic niceties, the summit laid bare the structural rivalry between the two Asian giants. Both nations continue to vie for strategic footholds in the Indian Ocean, contest influence over multilateral institutions, and compete for supply‑chain dominance in critical sectors such as semiconductors and renewable energy. While the BRICS platform provides a venue for dialogue, the divergent national interests—particularly India’s push for a more balanced, multipolar order versus China’s vision of a technology‑led leadership—suggest that any rapprochement will remain fragile. Observers note that the real test will be whether concrete projects materialise from Xi’s AI and smart‑manufacturing pledges, or whether underlying mistrust will re‑escalate in the coming months.