# Xi Jinping to visit India as pragmatic détente masks deep mistrust 2026-08-12T13:17:58+00:00 | World & Diplomacy | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 1 independent outlet China's President Xi Jinping will visit New Delhi in March for his first trip since 2019, even as both sides maintain a fragile détente along the Line of Actual Control (LAC). The October 2024 agreement restored patrolling in eastern Ladakh and resumed the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra after five years, but no de-escalation has occurred, with additional forces from 2020 still deployed. Trade ties reveal growing asymmetry: India's imports from China rose to Rs 11.10 lakh crore ($131.63 billion) in 2025-26, up from Rs 7.97 lakh crore in 2021-22, widening the deficit to Rs 10.37 lakh crore. Hindustan Times notes Chinese advances in AI, EVs, and dual-use infrastructure in Tibet outpace India's response. Meanwhile, Beijing's use of Pakistan to contain India remains unchanged, and India-US fraying ties provide incentive to stabilise relations with Beijing on manageable terms. ## Coverage - hindustantimes.com Tags: border dispute, India-China ties, Line of Actual Control, trade deficit, US-India relations, Xi Jinping visit Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/xi-jinping-to-visit-india-as-pragmatic-detente-masks-deep-mistrust/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/xi-jinping-to-visit-india-as-pragmatic-detente-masks-deep-mistrust/#story-in-brief Review state: restored archive article, accurate at time of publication, not offered to search indexes.