Politics · India Bureau
The Silent Diplomats: Meet the Interpreters Behind BRICS Talks
Two trusted personal interpreters have become fixtures at high-level diplomatic engagements between Indian and Chinese leadership. Their presence at the Delhi BRICS Summit underscores the crucial role linguistic intermediaries play in international negotiations.
LSN India ·
Photographs from the Delhi BRICS Summit captured two familiar figures standing alongside Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping—not government officials, but the trusted personal interpreters who facilitate communication between the two leaders.
Sun Ning serves as President Xi's interpreter, while Sidharth Babu holds the same critical position for PM Modi. Their presence at major diplomatic meetings and state visits often goes unnoticed by the public, yet they occupy one of the most sensitive positions in international diplomacy.
These interpreters do far more than translate words. Operating at the highest levels of bilateral engagement, they serve as conduits for nuance, cultural context, and diplomatic subtlety during discussions that shape regional and global relations. Their role demands not only linguistic precision but also deep understanding of protocol, political sensitivities, and the strategic dimensions of each interaction.
The continuity of these interpreters across multiple summits and official visits reflects the importance placed on consistency and trust in high-level diplomatic communication. Their consistent participation in major engagements between New Delhi and Beijing highlights how institutional knowledge and established relationships underpin effective statecraft between the two nations.