The Chinese president does not want to be seen in New Delhi because that would amount to endorsing India’s global leadership, which has become a major challenge for Beijing. Xi is conscious that the US is encouraging India to take up a global leadership role — even participate in ‘distant’ issues like the South China Sea — as a means to contain China’s influence. In the eyes of loyal Chinese, Xi is being seen as a leader snubbing not just India but also Western powers like the US that form and guide G20.
To understand the complexities, it is essential to distinguish between China’s national strategy and the personal ambition of a leader who has redrafted the constitution in such a manner that it would allow him to remain president and general secretary of the ruling communist party for life. These two issues are often seen as one because Xi’s ambition drives national policy and most other communist leaders have been reduced to fawning minions. But it’s useful to decouple the two.