Xi Attends BRICS Summit in India, Calls for Middle East Ceasefire

Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in New Delhi on September 12 to participate in the 18th BRICS Summit at the invitation of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Accompanied by top foreign policy and administrative officials, Xi addressed the summit's first-phase session with a focus on escalating security crises, particularly across the Middle East and Gulf region. Xi outlined a four-point proposal aimed at lowering tensions, calling on all involved parties to commit to a political settlement and work toward a permanent, comprehensive ceasefire while signaling China's intent to coordinate closely with fellow BRICS partners.

As the BRICS grouping expands its footprint across the Global South, its members are increasingly attempting to project shared diplomatic positions on acute international conflicts. Beijing's decision to use the New Delhi summit stage to push for a political resolution in the Middle East highlights China's ambition to position the bloc as an alternative forum for multilateral security dialogue outside traditional Western frameworks.

Chinese President Xi Jinping traveled to New Delhi on the morning of September 12 to attend the 18th BRICS Summit, accepting an invitation from Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, according to official reports from Xinhua News Agency. Xi was accompanied by a high-level delegation that included Cai Qi, a member of the Politburo Standing Committee and director of the General Office of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, as well as Wang Yi, Politburo member and foreign minister. The trip marks a notable multilateral engagement hosted by India amid ongoing diplomatic efforts to manage bilateral and regional relations. Addressing the first-phase session of the leaders' meeting on the afternoon of September 12, Xi turned immediate attention to worsening geopolitical crises, specifically noting that the situation in the Middle East and the Gulf region continues to evolve in complex directions. Xi stated that ongoing warfare has inflicted severe damage on the populations of regional states and runs counter to the shared interests of the broader international community, according to reports published by Chinese defense and government portals. To address the turmoil, Xi introduced a four-point proposition designed to maintain and promote peace and stability across the Middle East. While full textual breakdowns of each point were not immediately released in early official dispatches, Xi characterized the initiative as an appeal to cool down tensions, end hostilities, and promote negotiations. He urged all concerned parties to remain committed to a political settlement and actively push toward achieving a permanent and comprehensive ceasefire. Xi underscored Beijing's readiness to collaborate with fellow BRICS member states to play what he termed an appropriate role in restoring peace and tranquility across the Middle East and Gulf region. The remarks underscore Beijing's expanding appetite to utilize the BRICS platform not merely as an economic coordination vehicle, but as an influential diplomatic instrument for addressing pressing international security challenges.