Xi arrives for BRICS summit, Congress pushes PM Modi to raise Arunachal issue

Ahead of Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit to India for the BRICS Summit 2026, AICC General Secretary and Assam in-charge Bhupesh Baghel questioned whether Prime Minister Narendra Modi would raise sensitive issues concerning Arunachal Pradesh and the Galwan clash during his talks with the Chinese leader.

Speaking in Guwahati, Baghel said China’s top leadership had arrived in India and asked whether the Prime Minister would confront Beijing over issues that have repeatedly strained ties between the two countries.

“Given the disputes that frequently arise regarding Galwan or Arunachal Pradesh, will the Prime Minister discuss these issues? Will he show them a ‘red eye’?” Baghel said.

His remarks come against the backdrop of continuing tensions between India and China over their disputed border and Beijing’s repeated claims over Arunachal Pradesh, which India has consistently rejected.

Baghel questioned whether these issues would figure in the Prime Minister’s discussions with Xi during the BRICS Summit.

The Congress leader was in Guwahati in connection with the party’s preparations for the upcoming Nagaon Lok Sabha by-election and Assam local body elections. He said the Assam Pradesh Congress Committee had held a series of meetings, including those of the Political Affairs Committee, vice presidents and the State Election Committee.

The party is also scheduled to meet Congress MLAs and observers appointed for Nagaon. Baghel said the names emerging from the discussions would be shortlisted and forwarded to the All India Congress Committee, which would take the final decision on the party’s candidate.

For the Arunachal angle, however, Baghel’s remarks focused on whether India would raise its concerns over Beijing’s position on the northeastern state during the Chinese president’s visit.