India is expected to press China on easing restrictions around critical technology exports during the BRICS Summit in New Delhi on September 12-13, 2026, which Chinese President Xi Jinping is expected to attend. New Delhi is reportedly consulting domestic industry groups on trade and investment barriers involving China ahead of the sidelines discussions, seeking greater reciprocity in bilateral technology access.
The push comes as India-China relations have gradually warmed since the October 2024 border agreement, with resumed leadership exchanges, restored connectivity including the reopening of border trade at the Lipulekh Pass after a six-year hiatus, and Air India set to resume non-stop Delhi-Shanghai flights this month. Bilateral trade is on course to touch a record $100 billion, even as core tensions over border disputes and trade imbalances remain unresolved.
What Technology Curbs Is India Expected to Raise With China?
Indian officials are expected to flag restrictions affecting critical components and technologies where Chinese supply chains hold outsized global influence, an area that has drawn increased attention following China’s rare earth export curbs that had earlier disrupted India’s electronics, automotive and EV manufacturing sectors. Industry groups have been consulted in advance, suggesting the government intends to bring specific sector-level concerns rather than broad policy statements to the summit sidelines.
The technology access discussion is expected to run parallel to the formal BRICS agenda, reflecting a pattern where bilateral issues are raised informally around multilateral summits rather than through dedicated bilateral negotiating tracks.
What Do Trade and Foreign Policy Analysts Say?
Foreign policy analysts describe the current phase of India-China relations as tactically cooperative rather than strategically resolved, noting that improved connectivity and trade volumes coexist with unresolved structural tensions. Trade analysts point out that India’s push on technology reciprocity reflects lessons learned from the earlier rare earth supply disruption, which exposed how dependent Indian manufacturing remains on Chinese-controlled inputs even amid warming diplomatic ties.
Market and Trade Reaction
India-China trade volumes, already trending toward a record $100 billion, are being watched closely by electronics, automotive and renewable energy companies with exposure to Chinese component supply chains. Industry bodies in these sectors have been vocal about seeking more predictable access to critical technologies and materials, viewing the BRICS Summit sidelines as a rare high-level opportunity to raise these concerns directly.
What Happens Next?
The BRICS Summit in New Delhi on September 12-13, 2026, will be the key venue to watch for any signals on technology access discussions between India and China. Businesses in electronics, automotive and critical minerals-dependent sectors should monitor summit-sideline readouts for indications of any follow-up bilateral technology dialogue.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is the BRICS Summit in New Delhi and who is attending?
The BRICS Summit will be held in New Delhi on September 12-13, 2026, with Chinese President Xi Jinping expected to attend.
What is India expected to raise with China at the summit?
India is expected to press China on easing restrictions on critical technology and component exports, seeking greater reciprocity in bilateral trade and technology access.
How large is India-China bilateral trade currently?
India-China trade is on course to touch a record $100 billion, even as border disputes and trade imbalances remain unresolved between the two countries.
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