India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi (L) meets the President of China, Xi Jinping (R) as a part of the 25th Heads of State Council meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) in Tianjin, China on August 31, 2025.Anadolu | Anadolu | Getty ImagesBEIJING — China plans to send a delegation to India’s upcoming AI summit in the latest sign of improving ties between the two neighbors, CNBC has learned.A vice minister from China’s Ministry of Science and Technology will lead the delegation, said George Chen, partner and co-chair of digital practice at consultancy The Asia Group, citing conversations with his government contacts. He added that the Indian embassy in Beijing had reached out to China to arrange the visas.The Asia Group frequently engages with Chinese policymakers about AI regulatory development.It’s the first public confirmation that China will attend the event in New Delhi, scheduled for Feb. 16 to 20. Chinese state media in late December had cited Indian media as saying that New Delhi had extended an official invitation to Beijing to attend the AI Impact Summit.Representatives for the Indian embassy, China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and China’s Ministry of Science and Technology did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The science ministry has four vice ministers.The planned visit, with Chinese businesses expected to participate, comes as China’s relations with India appear to be on the mend after a few turbulent years.Following a border skirmish in 2020 between the two countries that resulted in fatalities, India had banned dozens of Chinese mobile apps including TikTok, citing security concerns. Bilate …
