The Chinese president’s no-show came as India and China seek to stabilise bilateral ties. Russian President Vladimir Putin and several other BRICS leaders attended the dinner.
BY PC Bureau
September 13, 2026: The absence of Chinese President Xi Jinping from Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s gala dinner for BRICS leaders on Saturday evening was conspicuous, coming hours after the two leaders met on the sidelines of the summit.
Xi attended the opening sessions of the BRICS summit and held talks with Modi earlier in the day, but did not join the other leaders at the dinner hosted by the Indian prime minister at Bharat Mandapam.
There was no immediate official explanation for Xi’s absence. A person familiar with the matter said the Chinese president had returned to his hotel to rest after arriving in New Delhi that afternoon.
The no-show was notable because the dinner was among the most prominent social engagements of the two-day summit. It also came against the backdrop of renewed efforts by India and China to stabilise their strained bilateral relationship.
#WATCH | Chinese President Xi Jinping departs from Delhi after participating in the 18th BRICS Summit 2026.@MEAIndia @BricsIndia2026 #BRICS2026 #BRICSIndia2026 #IndiaBRICSChairship #BRICS26OnDD pic.twitter.com/5u6f1U9B4m
— DD News (@DDNewslive) September 13, 2026
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Xi was not the only senior foreign dignitary missing from the dinner. Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed was also absent after leaving New Delhi following the day’s summit sessions.
Russian President Vladimir Putin and several other BRICS leaders attended the evening event.
The Indian side was represented by a large political and ministerial presence, including Union ministers Amit Shah, Nirmala Sitharaman, Piyush Goyal, Ashwini Vaishnaw and Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, and chief ministers Yogi Adityanath, Devendra Fadnavis, Suvendu Adhikari and Himanta Biswa Sarma.
The dinner showcased Indian cuisine, with dishes including khandvi mille, khumb galouti, paneer lababdar, gucchi marmik, carrot-bean poriyal and millet pulao. Desserts included Old Delhi fruit cream with jalebi and shahtoot phirni.
More than 100 artistes from India and other BRICS countries performed during the evening.
India is hosting the September 12–13 summit, attended by leaders from 11 BRICS member states, 10 partner countries and representatives of several international organisations.
