Chinese President Xi Jinping will visit India on September 12 and 13 to attend the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi, China’s foreign ministry has confirmed.

The announcement ends days of uncertainty over whether Xi would travel to India for the high-profile summit. The visit has particular significance as it will be his first trip to India in seven years.

According to China’s foreign ministry, Xi will travel to New Delhi at the invitation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and participate in the BRICS Summit.

Xi Jinping’s first India visit in seven years

Xi’s upcoming visit comes after a period of strained India-China relations following the 2020 Galwan Valley border clashes. The clashes resulted in the deaths of 20 Indian soldiers, while the number of Chinese casualties was not known.

The Chinese president last visited India in 2019, when he met Prime Minister Narendra Modi for an informal summit in Mamallapuram near Chennai.

Xi had earlier travelled to India in September 2014 during the first terms of both leaders. He also visited Goa in 2016 to attend the BRICS Summit.

India-China ties show signs of improvement

Relations between India and China have improved in recent years. The reference report notes that the change has come particularly after Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to China last year.

India has also eased some restrictions on Chinese investment that were introduced after the 2020 border clashes, including in sectors such as electronics, capital goods and solar cells.

China’s foreign ministry has described India and China as “partners, not competitors”, saying the two countries represent opportunities rather than threats to each other’s development.

Xi and Prime Minister Modi also briefly met earlier this month at a regional forum in Kyrgyzstan.

The Chinese president’s presence at the BRICS Summit in New Delhi is therefore set to bring the two leaders together again as India and China work to improve their bilateral relationship.

At least 10 workers are feared trapped after a crane collapsed at a construction site in Gujarat’s Gandhinagar on Wednesday evening. Ambulances and fire engines have reached the site as rescue efforts get underway.

The incident was reported on September 9, with the latest information indicating that several workers may be trapped following the crane collapse.

Rescue operation underway

Emergency teams have been deployed at the Gandhinagar construction site following the accident. Ambulances and fire engines are present at the location as authorities work to respond to the situation.

The exact circumstances that led to the crane collapse and further details about the workers feared trapped were not immediately available in the initial report.

A paying-guest accommodation in Delhi’s Chirag Delhi area was evacuated late at night after a large crack was noticed in the four-storey building, prompting authorities to move students out as a precaution.

The development comes just days after a PG building collapsed in Satya Niketan, killing seven people, including five students and two labourers.

Students shifted to temporary accommodation

Following an inspection, the front and back gates of the Chirag Delhi PG were sealed.

Delhi Education Minister Ashish Sood said the large crack was noticed the previous night and the local administration evacuated the students as a precautionary measure.

Male students were shifted to Bhagat Singh College, while female students were moved to the Vocational College, according to the minister.

The administration also assured the students that they would receive help in retrieving their belongings and security deposits.

Crack and structural damage found inside building

The building showed visible signs of damage, with chunks of cement and debris scattered across the floor. Parts of the structure appeared damaged, while exposed wiring was also visible.

Water seepage and damp patches were reported on the walls and ceiling. A large crack near the main gate was seen extending upwards towards the top of the building, with damaged and chipped plaster around it.

Delhi steps up scrutiny of PG accommodations

The evacuation has come amid increased attention on the safety of student accommodation in Delhi following the Satya Niketan building collapse.

The Delhi government is working on legislation to regulate paying-guest accommodations. The proposed framework includes mandatory licences, police and civic clearances, unique registration numbers and a government portal listing verified PGs.

The proposed measures also include CCTV cameras at entrances and common areas, visitor registers, security guards for larger PGs and wardens who can respond during emergencies. The government is also considering provisions related to rent, security deposits and eviction notices.

Crackdown on illegal construction

Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta has ordered a crackdown on illegal construction, with the Municipal Corporation of Delhi carrying out demolition drives and increasing inspections of PGs and hostels.

Officials are also examining building records to determine when unauthorised construction took place and which agency or official had jurisdiction at the time.

The action follows the Satya Niketan collapse, where construction and building permissions have come under scrutiny. Preliminary reports have identified structural vulnerabilities, ongoing work and possible unauthorised construction as areas of investigation.

Police to engage with students

The Delhi Police has separately directed senior officers to regularly interact with students staying in PGs, rented accommodation and other forms of student housing.

Police officials have been asked to address concerns related to security, harassment, women’s safety and accommodation, while coordinating with civic and other agencies when required.

Areas with a high concentration of colleges, universities and PGs have been identified as priorities. Police officials have been directed to submit an action-taken report by September 20.

Political exchange over Chirag Delhi evacuation

The Chirag Delhi evacuation also triggered a political exchange. Sood criticised former Delhi minister Saurabh Bharadwaj and accused him of trying to politicise the issue.

Sood said Bharadwaj had been the area’s MLA for 10 years and questioned accountability over a hostel allegedly operating in a building with cracks.