Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in the Indian capital New Delhi on Saturday for the 18th BRICS Leaders' Summit, marking his first visit to India in seven years.

He is accompanied by Cai Qi, one of China's top-ranking officials and director of the Communist Party of China General Office, and Foreign Minister Wang Yi, according to the state-run Xinhua news agency.

Xi last traveled to India in 2019, months before the start of a military face-off between the two border forces in Ladakh that lasted more than four years and took bilateral ties to a six-decade low.

Ties have gradually improved in recent years, with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi visiting China last year and the two countries taking steps to restore high-level engagement.

At Modi's invitation, Xi will attend the two-day BRICS summit on Saturday and Sunday. He is also scheduled to hold talks with Modi later Saturday evening.

The gathering brings together leaders from Asia, Africa, the Middle East and Latin America and is expected to address issues including global trade, economic cooperation and regional and international developments.

A number of foreign leaders, including Russian President Vladimir Putin and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, have already arrived in India for the summit.

The expanded BRICS membership comprises Brazil, China, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Iran, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, and the United Arab Emirates.

The group also has partner countries, including Belarus, Bolivia, Kazakhstan, Cuba, Malaysia, Nigeria, Thailand, Uganda, Uzbekistan, and Vietnam.

The last BRICS summit was held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in 2025. China is due to host the 2027 summit.

Source: Anadolu Agency

--Agencies