Modi Holds Xi, Malaysia and Ethiopia Talks at BRICS as India's Defense Export Push Widens

Since Chinese President Xi Jinping landed in New Delhi Saturday for his first visit to India since 2019, the two countries have used the BRICS summit sidelines to attempt another reset of relations badly damaged by a 2020 border clash that killed at least 20 Indian and four Chinese soldiers in Ladakh, according to The Independent.

Modi and Xi talk peace, not troop pullbacks

Xi told Modi that China approaches the relationship from a "strategic and long-term perspective" and called for "high-quality cooperation," according to China's state-run Xinhua News Agency. Xi said the two countries, as major Global South economies, should promote a more multipolar world and are partners rather than rivals, Xinhua reported.

Modi's message, per a statement from India's foreign ministry cited by The Independent, was narrower: peace along the disputed border is essential to any broader thaw, and both sides must honor existing agreements. "Differences should not become disputes," Modi said, adding both sides must be guided by "mutual respect, mutual sensitivity and mutual interest."

The two leaders reaffirmed a commitment to a "fair and mutually acceptable settlement" of the boundary dispute and discussed trade imbalances, supply chains and market access, the ministry said. Neither readout announced any change in troop levels. Both nations have kept tens of thousands of soldiers, artillery, tanks and fighter jets stationed along the frontier since the 2020 clash, and deep mistrust remains despite prior meetings, including one during Modi's visit to China last year for the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit.

"Strategic and long-term" language and talk of a "multipolar world" costs Beijing nothing while India still absorbs the military and economic burden of the standoff. Nothing in the readouts commits China to withdrawing forces or resolving the underlying territorial claims. Xi's own comments, filtered through Xinhua, emphasized partnership rhetoric over specifics.

Malaysia and Ethiopia want Indian weapons and chips, but no deals signed

Separately, Modi met Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali at Hyderabad House, according to government sources cited identically by ANI, Rediff, Business Today, India Today, Times of India, Hindustan Times and Newsable. Both countries said they want stronger defense cooperation with India, including joint personnel training and procurement of Indian equipment, the sources said.

Ethiopia specifically welcomed Indian mining investment, while semiconductor opportunities came up in the Malaysia talks, according to those accounts. Hindustan Times reported Malaysia has shown interest in BrahMos missiles, including a possible air-launched version for its Su-30 fighter jets, though no agreement was announced Saturday.

Modi posted on X that India-Malaysia ties are "moving into ambitious new areas like semiconductors, critical minerals, clean energy, infrastructure and talent mobility," according to India Today, which also reported the two leaders reviewed progress since Modi's February 2026 visit to Malaysia across trade, defense, semiconductors, infrastructure, digital economy, energy, fintech, education and tourism.

None of the accounts of the Malaysia or Ethiopia meetings cite a signed contract, dollar figure or delivery timeline. The language throughout is "expressed keenness," "discussed" and "welcomed." These are exploratory talks, not concluded deals.

The bigger picture: India's expanding arms export list

The interest from Malaysia and Ethiopia fits a broader pattern Hindustan Times laid out. Indonesia finalized a BrahMos arrangement in July 2026 along with an Astra air-to-air missile cooperation deal. Vietnam has a confirmed BrahMos deal, though terms remain undisclosed. The Philippines completed deliveries in 2026 on a $375 million deal for three shore-based BrahMos anti-ship batteries.

Armenia has bought Pinaka rocket launchers, Akash-1S air defense systems, ATAGS artillery guns and Swathi radars, and accounted for roughly 43% of Armenia's arms imports from 2022 to 2024, according to Hindustan Times. Nigeria and Egypt have discussed the Tejas fighter, with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited confirming talks with Nigeria. Argentina's earlier Tejas interest is complicated by British-origin components in the jet. Thailand is evaluating the BrahMos shore-based system, and the UAE has reportedly looked at both BrahMos and India's Akashteer air-defense command system. Chile, Brazil and Saudi Arabia have made early inquiries, per the same report.

What comes next

Malaysia's Anwar Ibrahim is scheduled to travel on to Kerala, where he will meet Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar, Chief Minister VD Satheesan and the Grand Mufti of India, Sheikh Abubakr Ahmad, according to Rediff and ANI. Malaysia has also agreed to let India open a new consulate in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Times of India reported.

Whether Saturday's talk of defense cooperation with Malaysia and Ethiopia converts into signed contracts, and whether the Modi-Xi border language produces any actual troop drawdown, are open questions. Xi is set to host the next BRICS summit in 2027, giving both sides another full year before the next high-level check-in on whether Saturday's rhetoric turned into anything concrete.