Prime Minister Narendra Modi received Chinese President Xi Jinping in Mamallapuram today around 5 PM. After landing in Chennai , President Xi headed to Mamallapuram, 50 km away, amid tight security by road to hold the second informal summit with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Chinese President Xi Jinping is being accompanied by a 100-member strong delegation, including Foreign Minister Wang Yi and State Councillor Yang Jiechi.

PM Modi and Chinese President Xi will be accompanied by National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar. China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Politburo members will accompany the Chinese leader.

No Memoranda of Understanding or agreements will be signed as it will be an informal summit looking to forge a cooperative partnership between the two countries.

Highlights:

10:26 PM IST Delighted that President Xi Jinping and I are spending time in this scenic place: PM Modi Before calling it a day, PM Modi tweeted about his time spent with President Xi Jinping at the informal summit today. PM Modi said, “Mamallapuram is one of the most beautiful places in India, full of vibrancy. It is linked to commerce, spirituality and is now a popular tourism centre. I am delighted that President Xi Jinping and I are spending time in this scenic place, which is also a UNESCO heritage site.





10:08 PM IST PM Modi, Xi Jinping leave Shore Temple Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping have left the shore temple after attending a cultural program at the Shore Temple in Mamallapuram.





9:18 PM IST Modi’s gifts for Chinese President - Annam lamp, Thanjavur painting Prime Minister Narendra Modi will gift Nachiarkoil, a six-feet Annam lamp richly coated with gold and a three-feet high Thanjavur painting of dancing Saraswathi to Chinese President Xi Jinping at the second informal summit between the two leaders here. The gifts reflect the tradition and culture of Tamil Nadu where the summit is being held.





8:16 PM IST Modi-Xi meet: Tamil song at cultural event invokes peace, Mahatma Gandhi A Tamil song hailing peace and Mahatma Gandhi was sung to the accompaniment of traditional dance at a cultural event here as part of the ongoing India China meet and it is seen as a hint to the government’s stand that it stood for peace: PTI





7:08 PM IST India says Swagatam to President Xi Jinping!: PM Modi tweets India says Swagatam to President Xi Jinping! pic.twitter.com/DhkA14nYow — PMO India (@PMOIndia) October 11, 2019





6:52 PM IST PM Modi, President Xi attend cultural programme at the Shore temple #WATCH Mahabalipuram: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping attend a cultural program at the Shore Temple, a UNESCO World Heritage site. #TamilNadu pic.twitter.com/ZTj5r7WDSl — ANI (@ANI) October 11, 2019





6:30 PM IST PM Modi, Xi visit sea-facing Shore Temple during informal summit Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Xi Jinping are attending a cultural performance by Kalakshetra at Mamallapuram’s Shore Temple. Tamil Nadu: Shore Temple in Mahabalipuram, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping are present at the temple site. pic.twitter.com/obLVvipBA8 — ANI (@ANI) October 11, 2019





6:06 PM IST Bonhomie on display; PM Modi, Xi enjoy coconut water at Panch Rathas complex Surrounded by history, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday enjoyed fresh coconut water while catching their breaths at the magnificent Panch Rathas complex in the coastal city of Mamallapuram. The leaders had previously taken a tour of the iconic relief structure Arjuna’s Penance, an intricately carved ancient sculpture dating back to the Pallava dynasty and Krishna’s Butter Ball - a big round boulder perched on a slope.





6:01 PM IST PM Modi, Chinese President Xi Jinping at Panch Rathas in Mamallapuram Tamil Nadu: Prime Minister Narendra Modi with Chinese President Xi Jinping at Panch Rathas in Mahabalipuram. pic.twitter.com/z3WvL89PLx — ANI (@ANI) October 11, 2019





5:36 PM IST PM Modi, Chinese President Xi Jinping visit Panch Rathas in Mamallapuram Tamil Nadu: Prime Minister Narendra Modi with Chinese President Xi Jinping at Panch Rathas in Mahabalipuram. pic.twitter.com/YcvHLcSS16 — ANI (@ANI) October 11, 2019





5:14 PM IST PM Modi, Chinese President Xi Jinping tour Arjuna’s Penance in Mamallapuram Tamil Nadu: Prime Minister Narendra Modi with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the Arjuna's Penance in Mahabalipuram. pic.twitter.com/5YM3eVqBhb — ANI (@ANI) October 11, 2019





5:05 PM IST Prime Minister Narendra Modi receives Chinese President Xi Jinping at Mamallapuram Tamil Nadu: Prime Minister Narendra Modi receives Chinese President Xi Jinping at Mahabalipuram. pic.twitter.com/8FZ3Z9VvZT — ANI (@ANI) October 11, 2019





4:53 PM IST Xi Jinping accompanied by 100-member strong team Chinese President Xi Jinping is being accompanied by a 100-member strong delegation, including Foreign Minister Wang Yi and State Councillor Yang Jiechi, for the two-day informal talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Mahabalipuram starting Friday.





3:30 PM IST Grand traditional reception marks Xi’s arrival in Chennai Along with being accorded a red carpet welcome, Xi was also accorded the traditional “Poorna Kumbh” reception, a traditional reception involving holy water kept in a vessel with five attached mango laeves placed in it, and holy water is alos sprinkled on the guest.





3:00 PM IST Chinese President Xi Jinping heads to ITC Grand Chola hotel Chinese President Xi Jinping is now on his way to ITC Grand Chola Hotel in Chennai. Tamil Nadu: Chinese President Xi Jinping on his way to ITC Grand Chola Hotel in Chennai. He will hold his second informal meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Mahabalipuram, later today. pic.twitter.com/l3q48sEJHN — ANI (@ANI) October 11, 2019





2:45 PM IST Rasam, sambar and halwa: Xi Jinping to relish taste of India Chinese President Xi Jinping, who has arrived in India to kick start an informal summit with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Mamallapuram, will be served with south Indian cuisine tonight. At a special dinner hosted by Prime Minister Modi in honour of the Chinese President in Mamallapuram this evening, a variety of Indian culinary delights will be on display.





2:30 PM IST Kalakshetra students to perform at Mamallapuram A cultural programme will be held on Friday evening by students of famed dance group Kalakshetra in the honour of Chinese President Xi Jinping who arrived in Chennai to initiate a two-day informal summit with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the coastal city of Mamallapuram.





01:57 pm IST Chinese President Xi Jinping arrives in Chennai Chinese President Xi Jinping arrives in Chennai. The second informal summit between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Xi will begin in Mahabalipuram today. :ANI





1:55 pm IST Venue for meeting boasts of UNESCO world site heritage tag Mamallapuram, where the meeting between PM Modi and Xi Jinping will be held, boasts of a UNESCO world site heritage tag and is famous for ancient stone carvings and stone temples of the Pallava dynasty period. A large number of monuments in city date back to the period of 630-670 AD, also known as the reign of Narasimhavarman-I.





01:42 pm IST First informal Summit between the leaders was held in Wuhan Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping held the first informal summit in Wuhan in 2018. It took place in the backdrop of the 72-days-long Doklam stand-off between Indian and Chinese soldiers in 2017 when the Chinese troops undertook construction work in the area bordering India, China, and Bhutan. India and China both withdrew after long negotiations that many feared could escalate.





01:30 pm IST Meeting venue sealed, no access even for media photographers The venue for Friday’s meeting have been sealed since Thursday night, with no access even for media photographers.





01:22 pm IST Discussion over dinner hosted by PM Modi to be ‘most substantive’ The dinner hosted by PM Modi at the Shore Temple complex will allow for the most substantive engagement between the two leaders on Friday, people familiar with the developments said.





01:15 pm IST Key roads to be sealed in Chennai Several key roads will be completely sealed while Xi’s motorcade drives to and from Mamallapuram on Friday and other routes, including one leading from Chennai to the seaside resort, are inaccessible to the public.





01:10 pm IST Chennai airport decked up ahead of Xi Jinping’s arrival Chennai International Airport is all decked up ahead of the arrival of President of China, Xi Jinping. Tamil Nadu: Chennai International Airport all decked up ahead of the arrival of President of China, Xi Jinping. The Chinese President and PM Narendra Modi will begin their second informal meeting in Mahabalipuram today. pic.twitter.com/FU73rzT3Lm — ANI (@ANI) October 11, 2019





12:57 pm IST Xi Jinping will stay at ITC Grand Chola Hotel Xi Jinping will arrive at ITC Grand Chola Hotel in Chennai after his arrival at Chennai International Airport. Tamil Nadu: President of China, Xi Jinping will arrive at ITC Grand Chola Hotel in Chennai after his arrival at Chennai International Airport. The second informal summit between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and him, will begin in Mahabalipuram today. pic.twitter.com/haWBur6dhP — ANI (@ANI) October 11, 2019





12:45 pm IST Tibetan students protesting, holding ‘Free Tibet’ flags, arrested Hours before Prime Minister Narendra Modi landed in Chennai, five Tibetan students were detained by the city police for staging a protest and shouting slogan at Guindy, in front of the ITC Hotel, where Xi will stay during his visit. The five students, who breached a police cordon and shouted slogans demanding independence for Tibet while holding “Free Tibet” flags, were taken away by the police. #WATCH Chennai: Police detained Tibetan activists who were protesting outside the ITC Grand Chola Hotel where Chinese President Xi Jinping will arrive later today. #TamilNadu pic.twitter.com/fgJkQyX0gs — ANI (@ANI) October 11, 2019





12:33 pm IST Over 5,000 security personnel deployed around Mahabalipuram A multi-layered security drill, including the sealing of key roads, has been put in place in and around the seaside resort of Mahabalipuram ahead of the arrival of Chinese President Xi Jinping. More than 5,000 security personnel are part of the extensive security arrangements in and around Mamallapuram. The India Navy has deployed warships at some distance from the shore.





12:22 pm IST PM Modi hopes Summit will strengthen ties between India, China “Landed in Chennai. I am happy to be in the great land of Tamil Nadu, known for its wonderful culture and hospitality. It is gladdening that Tamil Nadu will host President Xi Jinping. May this Informal Summit further strengthen ties between India and China,” tweeted PM Modi.





12:10 pm IST Leaders to visit Arjuna’s Penance, Panch Rathas, Shore Temple PM Modi and Xi Jinping will visit Arjuna’s Penance, Panch Rathas and the Shore Temple. This will be followed by dinner, hosted by PM Modi for the Chinese president.





11:57 am IST Ajit Doval, Jaishankar to accompany PM Modi during meet Xi will be accompanied by China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Politburo members on his visit to India. From the Indian side, National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval and EAM S Jaishankar will accompany the Prime Minister.





11:45 am IST Xi Jinping to reach Chennai at 2.10 pm China’s President Xi Jinping will arrive in Chennai today at 2.10 pm.





11:35 am IST PM Modi arrives in Chennai Prime minister Narendra Modi has landed in Chennai for the two-day informal summit.





11:30 pm IST Summit’s focus to be on how to forge cooperative partnership The focus of the summit will be on how to move beyond the past and present differences to forge a cooperative partnership between Indian and China.





11:20 am IST No MoUs, agreements to be signed Chinese President and PM Modi will not be signing any documents during their meet since the talks between the two leaders are informal.





11:10 am IST Xi Jinping to reach Chennai post noon The Chinese President Xi Jinping will reach Chennai on today post noon.



