China's President Xi Jinping might visit India later this year for the BRICS summit after a thaw in the ties between the two countries after months of border tensions. The development came after Beijing expressed its support for India to host this year's BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa) summit later this year. Xi Jinping will visit India for the BRICS summit if the coronavirus situation improves.

Asked about India assuming the BRICS chairmanship this year, China's Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin extended China's support to India in holding the BRICS summit.

"We support India in hosting this year's BRICS meetings and stand ready to work together with it and other members to strengthen communication and cooperation in various fields, advance the three-pillar-driven cooperation in economic, political and cultural sectors, and expand 'BRICS Plus' cooperation to realise solid, sound and sustained progress in BRICS cooperation and to contribute to the international community's efforts to defeat COVID-19, resume economic growth and improve global governance," Wang Wenbin said.

He added, "The BRICS, consisting of emerging markets and developing countries, is a cooperation mechanism with global influence."

"In recent years, with growing cohesion, stronger practical cooperation and rising influence, BRICS has become a constructive force for stability in international affairs," he said.

"China attaches high importance to the BRICS cooperation mechanism. It stays committed to consolidating BRICS strategic partnership and the positive momentum in BRICS solidarity and cooperation," he said.

On February 19, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar had launched India's BRICS 2021 website at the BRICS Secretariat at Sushma Swaraj Bhawan in New Delhi.

While the Chinese Foreign Ministry did not confirm the visit, President Xi Jinping has attended all the earlier annual BRICS summits, physical and virtual meeting held last year.