Prime Minister Narendra Modi briefly stopped his address at the BRICS Summit in New Delhi to check on Chinese President Xi Jinping after apparently noticing that something was amiss.
Modi paused midway through his speech on Saturday and turned towards Xi, who was visiting India for the first time in seven years to attend the summit.
“Is it okay,” Modi asked the translator accompanying the Chinese President. He repeated the question moments later. It was not immediately clear what had caused Xi’s apparent discomfort.
After a few seconds, Xi nodded in response and Modi resumed his address.
Modi, Xi Hold Bilateral Talks
Modi and Xi held bilateral talks in New Delhi on Sep 12 on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit. The meeting lasted more than 50 minutes.
The discussions covered India-China relations, peace along the border, trade, market access and people-to-people exchanges. Modi stressed that peace and stability along the India-China border were essential for the broader bilateral relationship.
Discussing ties between the two countries, Modi referred to the principles of “mutual respect, mutual sensitivity and mutual interest”. Both sides agreed that differences should not turn into disputes and reiterated the need to work towards a fair and mutually acceptable resolution of the boundary question.
Xi described India and China as partners rather than rivals and called for a long-term approach to bilateral relations and cooperation.
Xi Skips Gala Dinner Hosted By Modi
Xi did not attend the gala dinner hosted by Modi for BRICS leaders on Saturday. The Chinese President was reported to have returned to his hotel to rest.
His visit to India for the summit was his first in seven years.
Modi Outlines BRICS Priorities On Final Day
The second and final day of the BRICS Summit began at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi, with Modi receiving the visiting leaders before they posed for the customary family photograph.
Opening the proceedings, Modi said India's BRICS presidency focused on four pillars: resilience, innovation, cooperation and sustainability.
He said India had worked with other BRICS members to translate the grouping's shared vision into practical, “win-win” cooperation.
Modi also warned that rising global tensions were increasingly affecting ordinary people. Citing pandemics, climate-related disasters and supply-chain disruptions, he stressed that crises in an interconnected world do not remain confined to one region.
BRICS Agrees On Infectious Disease Early-Warning System
Modi announced that BRICS countries had reached a consensus on a BRICS Integrated Early Warning System to improve preparedness and response to infectious diseases.
He also said the grouping had formulated Early Warning Data Integration Guidelines for disaster management.
The initiatives seek to strengthen coordination among BRICS members and enable countries to respond more quickly to emerging risks.
