Xi skips Modi's gala dinner at BRICS summit in Delhi, sparking speculation
Chinese President Xi Jinping did not attend PM Modi's gala dinner after the BRICS summit, fuelling political and diplomatic chatter
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An interesting episode has emerged from the BRICS summit hosted in India. Chinese President Xi Jinping did not attend the gala dinner hosted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Jinping arrived in New Delhi on Saturday and took part in the BRICS summit, and also held a bilateral meeting with PM Modi. But he was not seen at the special gala dinner held later at Bharat Mandapam. His absence has fuelled discussions in political and diplomatic circles.
During the BRICS summit, Modi and Jinping held an important meeting in which the two leaders discussed India-China relations, the border dispute, trade and economic cooperation. Both countries stressed the need to manage their differences while moving the relationship forward. India-China relations, which have been tense since 2020, have seen cautious efforts at improvement in recent times.
No official reason has been given by either India or China for why Jinping did not attend the dinner. However, according to sources, after a day full of BRICS meetings and the bilateral talks with Modi, he may have returned to his hotel to rest. It would therefore not be right, for now, to directly link his absence to any diplomatic displeasure.
It is worth noting that besides Jinping, the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, was also not present at the dinner. He had left for the UAE after the BRICS summit. It is therefore necessary to consider other factors before viewing Jinping's absence alone as any diplomatic signal.
The gala dinner hosted by PM Modi was attended by leaders of BRICS countries, representatives of participating nations and representatives of several international organisations. Russian President Vladimir Putin, among other prominent figures, was present at the event. Guests were served dishes including paneer lababdar, millet pulao, khandvi, mushroom galouti and mulberry phirni, offering them a special taste of Indian cuisine.
While Jinping's absence from the dinner has become a talking point, no diplomatic reason for it has been officially confirmed so far. Notably, Modi and Jinping held direct bilateral talks on the same day, which makes clear that the dialogue between the two countries continues.
