Archive · 21 Sep 2026
BRICS Summit Signals India-China Rapprochement, But No Reset
Leaders from BRICS countries met in New Delhi on September 12 and 13, 2026.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping had an important meeting.
Their countries appeared interested in improving relations, but they did not announce a complete reset.
They repeated that border problems should be solved peacefully and that calm should continue along the border.
China also appeared to gain a stronger role in representing the Global South.
The summit’s statement supported cooperation and changes to international institutions.
It avoided directly attacking Western countries and did not discuss wars in great detail.
BRICS announced many possible new projects, but it still needs rules and institutions to put them into practice.
The group must also decide how to handle countries that want to join.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Xi Jinping held a substantial meeting during the BRICS summit in New Delhi.
Statements suggested possible India-China rapprochement, but the summit provided no clear evidence of a reset in bilateral relations.
The summit’s joint statement backed cooperation and multilateralism while avoiding explicitly anti-Western language and detailed discussion of wars.
BRICS advanced about 60 initiatives, including cooperation on trade in national currencies, but still needs stronger institutions for implementation.
The group faces challenges over membership expansion, organisational capacity and whether it can maintain cohesion as its influence grows.
- Who
- BRICS members and partner countries, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping, attended or were represented at the summit.
- What
- The 18th BRICS summit discussed India-China relations, cooperation, multilateralism, new initiatives and the group’s future expansion.
- When
- September 12 and 13, 2026.
- Where
- New Delhi, India.
- Why
- The summit sought to strengthen cooperation among BRICS members and address international issues, while India and China considered progress in their bilateral relations.
Rapprochement View
No-Reset View
Meaning of the Modi-Xi meeting
Rapprochement View
The substantial meeting and both sides’ readouts indicated that India and China may be moving toward improved relations.
No-Reset View
The summit produced no clear evidence that bilateral relations had been reset.
Border relations
Rapprochement View
The commitment to resolve the boundary question while maintaining peace and tranquillity suggested a return to earlier cooperation-oriented understandings.
No-Reset View
The article says China had forgotten similar commitments after the 2020 incursions in Ladakh, so the renewed language does not by itself demonstrate lasting change.
BRICS’ future role
Rapprochement View
The summit’s cooperation agenda and roughly 60 initiatives could help BRICS develop into an important multilateral body.
No-Reset View
Expansion could weaken organisational capacity, and the group may lack the institutional cohesion needed to implement its decisions.
- Summit
- The 18th BRICS summit
- Dates
- September 12-13, 2026
- Location
- New Delhi, India
- Attendance
- Most of the 11 members and 10 partner countries were represented at the highest level
- New initiatives
- About 60 initiatives were opened or advanced at different stages of development
- Next chair
- China is expected to chair the next stage of BRICS work
- Key challenge
- BRICS may need membership criteria and stronger organisational structures as more countries seek to join