Archive · 13 Sep 2026
Modi Pauses BRICS Speech to Check on Xi Jinping
Prime Minister Narendra Modi was giving a speech at the BRICS Summit in New Delhi.
He noticed that Chinese President Xi Jinping might not be feeling well.
Modi stopped and asked if Xi was okay through a translator.
Xi nodded, and Modi continued speaking.
Modi and Xi later met privately for more than 50 minutes.
They talked about their countries’ border, trade and other relationships.
Xi did not attend a dinner hosted by Modi and reportedly returned to his hotel to rest.
Modi also said BRICS countries agreed to work together on disease warnings and disaster information.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi briefly interrupted his BRICS Summit speech to ask whether Xi Jinping was okay.
Xi nodded after Modi asked the translator about his apparent discomfort, and Modi resumed speaking.
Modi and Xi held more than 50 minutes of bilateral talks on September 12 in New Delhi.
The leaders discussed border peace, trade, market access, people-to-people exchanges and the boundary question.
BRICS countries agreed on an infectious-disease early-warning system and disaster-management data guidelines.
- Who
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping, along with leaders of BRICS countries.
- What
- Modi paused his speech to check on Xi, while the summit also addressed India-China relations and new BRICS cooperation initiatives.
- When
- During the second and final day of the BRICS Summit; Modi and Xi held bilateral talks on September 12.
- Where
- Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi, India.
- Why
- Modi said cooperation was needed to address global tensions, infectious diseases, disasters and supply-chain disruptions, while peace was important to India-China relations.
- Summit location
- Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi
- Xi's India visit
- His first visit to India in seven years
- Bilateral meeting
- Modi and Xi met for more than 50 minutes
- Topics discussed
- Border peace, trade, market access, people-to-people exchanges and the boundary question
- Xi's dinner attendance
- Xi skipped Modi's gala dinner and was reported to have returned to his hotel to rest
- BRICS health initiative
- Members agreed on a BRICS Integrated Early Warning System for infectious diseases
- Disaster cooperation
- Members formulated Early Warning Data Integration Guidelines