Protests in New Delhi Against Xi Jinping’s Participation in the BRICS Summit
On 11 September 2026, hundreds of Tibetans from more than 20 Regional Tibetan Youth Congress (RTYC) chapters, along with members of the Tibetan public in Delhi, gathered in New Delhi for a peaceful demonstration against Chinese President Xi Jinping’s participation in the BRICS Summit hosted by India. More than 250 Tibetan youth came together under the leadership of the Tibetan Youth Congress to raise a strong and united voice against Xi Jinping’s visit. Despite the intense heat, protesters marched with deep emotion, patriotism, and determination, carrying the pain of Tibet and the aspirations of the Tibetan people to the heart of India’s capital.
The demonstration was strengthened by the presence of former CTA Minister Madam Gyari Dolma la, former Deputy Speaker of the Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile Acharya Yeshi Phuntsok la, and Members of the Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile Mr. Wangdue Dorjee la, Madam Gagya Choekyi Gyaltsen la, and Mr. Kunchok Rinchen la. Their presence reflected the collective resolve of the Tibetan community to continue raising the issue of Tibet and demanding justice, freedom, and the restoration of Tibet’s independence.
On 12 September 2026, during the BRICS dinner gala, members of the Central Tibetan Youth Congress Executive Committee and RTYC chapters staged another peaceful protest outside Bharat Mandapam, the venue of the BRICS Summit in New Delhi. More than 50 Tibetan Youth Congress members were subsequently detained by the Delhi Police while protesting against Xi Jinping’s participation in the summit and his attendance at the dinner and cultural programme.
The two-day protests sent a powerful message from India’s capital: Tibet cannot be silenced, and the Tibetan struggle cannot be ignored. For Tibetans, the presence of China’s leadership on Indian soil was a deeply emotional reminder of the decades of repression, cultural destruction, forced assimilation, and erosion of Tibetan identity. Yet, rather than allowing that pain to remain unheard, Tibetan youth transformed it into courage, unity, and peaceful resistance.
From the heart of New Delhi, the Tibetan Youth Congress reaffirmed:
Tibet is not a forgotten issue.
Tibet is not an internal issue of China.
Tibet is a question of justice, freedom, and peace in Asia.
The Tibetan Youth Congress and Tibetan youth will continue to raise their voices wherever China seeks to project its power and legitimacy while denying the fundamental rights and aspirations of the Tibetan people. Tibet will not be erased. Tibetan identity will not be silenced. The struggle for Rangzen continues.
Tibet’s independence is not only a question of freedom for Tibetans—it is also a question of peace, justice, and security for India and Asia.