Chinese President Faces Protests at New Delhi BRICS Summit
According to a report from 818 Eating Melon Network, on the evening of September 12th, the night sky over New Delhi was illuminated by the highlight of the BRICS summit at the India International Convention Center, Bharat Mandapam, where the 18th BRICS summit banquet was held. Leaders and officials from around the world gathered to discuss global governance, trade cooperation, climate change, and other issues. The scene was filled with dazzling lights and laughter.
However, not far from the same location, hundreds of Tibetan youths were expressing their protest in a different way.
The video clearly shows: in the night, protesters holding signs reading “Free Tibet” and “Tibet belongs to Tibetans” were marching around the entrance and surroundings of Bharat Mandapam. Leading the crowd were members of the Tibetan Youth Congress (TYC), who have been in exile in India for many years. They chanted slogans such as “Chinese President, you are not welcome!” and “Down with Chinese dictatorship!” and “Free Tibet!” They held Tibetan flags and lion flags, leaning forward with intense emotions. The protesters attempted to approach the summit venue and break through the police lines, creating a tense situation. Indian journalists were present to record the scene and report it to the outside world: more than 50 members of the Tibetan Youth Congress were detained by the Delhi police on the spot, and some were forcibly taken away. The video quickly spread on Arabic and English social media platforms.
This is not an isolated incident. During the BRICS summit, the Indian host maintained strict security around Bharat Mandapam. The Chinese President arrived in New Delhi on September 12th to attend the summit and returned to Beijing on the afternoon of September 13th. Indian Prime Minister Modi personally welcomed him, and both sides held bilateral talks and signed multiple agreements. However, two voices were heard inside and outside the venue: official cooperation and diplomatic easing, and the strong protests of the Tibetan exiles.
The Tibetan Youth Congress was founded in 1970 and is one of the most active Tibetan exile organizations in the world. Its core demands are “Tibetan independence” and “human rights.” In recent years, the organization has frequently organized large-scale demonstrations in New Delhi, India, using international platforms such as the BRICS summit to pressure the Chinese government and call for the international community to pay attention to the Tibet issue. The Tibetan community in India has long provided refuge for Chinese Tibetans, and they accuse China of “cultural genocide,” religious suppression, and human rights violations in Tibet. This protest is their strong response to the Chinese President's visit to India: “We will not let the Chinese leader easily gain international recognition through the summit.”
According to Indian journalists, the protesters openly expressed their dissatisfaction with the Chinese President's attendance at the summit in the vicinity of the venue. The police stated that the protesters “violated the security regulations at the site” and took necessary law enforcement measures. Among the 50-plus TYC members detained, most were on-site participants. Similar scenes have occurred before: during the BRICS summits in 2012, 2019, and 2023, Tibetan protests also led to similar detention incidents. However, this time the scale and exposure were the highest, and the video of protesters being forcibly dragged and pushed by police became the focus of global attention.
Bharat Mandapam: From G20 to BRICS, India's diplomatic stage
The India International Convention Center, Bharat Mandapam, is an important venue for India to host major international conferences. The 2023 G20 summit was successfully held here, and the summit declaration expressed hope for global economic recovery. This BRICS summit, with the attendance of the Chinese President, is seen as a symbol of the “new normal” in Sino-Indian relations. Indian media reported extensively on the summit progress: the Chinese President's speech, meetings with Modi, and the signing of trade and digital cooperation agreements. The atmosphere was harmonious, and both sides jointly issued the New Delhi Declaration.
However, on the nearby square, protesters used another way to “occupy” the public opinion battlefield. They turned the international stage of the BRICS summit into an “international court” for the Tibet issue. The “Free Tibet” banner fluttered in the wind, and some radicals even tried to climb over the fence, prompting a swift police intervention. The Indian police released a statement on social media: “We protect the safety of summit participants, and any interference will be strictly dealt with.”
This conflict is ostensibly a contradiction between “Free Tibet” and “the Chinese President's visit,” but in essence, it is the collision of Sino-Indian relations and international human rights issues within the BRICS framework.
The test for Chinese diplomacy
The Chinese President's visit to India was considered a significant diplomatic milestone by Beijing. After the expansion of the BRICS, China and India have become major member states of the BRICS, and they have differences on issues such as the border problem and trade deficit. The protest was deemed by the Chinese Foreign Ministry as “external interference.” The Chinese Embassy in India issued a stern statement, emphasizing that “the Tibet issue is purely an internal affair of China.” The exile Tibetan organizations believe that as the host, India should have supported dialogue but chose to remain silent. The Indian government responded that “protests are legitimate expressions,” with both sides holding their own views.
The test for India
As the host of the BRICS, India needs to balance high-level diplomacy with China and public opinion within the Tibetan community. Indian Prime Minister Modi has maintained a stance of “strategic autonomy,” neither fully siding with China nor openly supporting Tibetan independence. The rapid detention of protesters by the police shows the Indian government's emphasis on on-site security, but it may also trigger dissatisfaction from the Tibetan community. Indian media pointed out that this incident will affect the process of easing Sino-Indian relations.
The reaction of the international community
The video quickly went viral. Western media, Tibetan exile organizations, and some governments have taken notice. The UN Human Rights Council, Spain, France, and others have issued statements multiple times, calling on China to improve the human rights situation in Tibet. This incident is seen as another publicization of the “human rights issue” on the international stage during the BRICS summit. The Chinese side emphasized “uncivilized behavior” and called for an end to politicization. Outside Bharat Mandapam, the standoff between protesters and police lasted for hours until the police cleared the demonstration site.
Under the night sky, protesters gathered at the entrance of the convention center, with the bright lights of the BRICS summit hall in the background.
Tibetan Youth Congress members held banners and waved flags, with some being forcefully taken away by police using shields.
The video shows people falling to the ground and being helped up, with the sound of protesters shouting “Down with the Chinese President!” clearly audible.
Indian police were fully armed, with riot gear present and police lights flashing.
The video ends with a close-up of handcuffed detainees, with the iconic structure of Bharat Mandapam in the background.
This conflict inside and outside the summit is destined to continue fermenting.
In the coming days, the Tibetan Youth Congress may continue to expose more videos through social media, and the Indian police will investigate the detained individuals. International public opinion may call for dialogue between China and India on the Tibet issue, or further internationalize the “human rights” issue of the BRICS summit.
For China, this is another test: Can it maintain a “non-adversarial” relationship with India within the BRICS framework?
For India, it is about finding a balance between diplomacy and public opinion.
For the Tibetan exile organizations, it is whether they can continue to draw international attention to the fate of Tibet.
In a nutshell:
While the Chinese President attended the BRICS summit and enjoyed a grand feast at Bharat Mandapam, over 50 members of the Tibetan Youth Congress rejected it with their actions outside the venue. The Chinese President's visit to India once again brought the “Free Tibet” issue to the international stage. Detained protesters and continued protest chants intertwine with diplomacy and human rights, peace and resistance in this night.
Will it be continued dialogue and cooperation, or continued confrontation and resistance?
The lights at Bharat Mandapam may illuminate the summit's achievements, but they also reflect the complex contradictions between China and India, the international community, and Tibetans.
The video is already in front of us – the truth of this conflict awaits time and more evidence to reveal it.
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