China President Xi's India visit: Narendra Modi to host private dinner for Jinping on Sabarmati riverfront

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will host a private dinner for Chinese President Xi Jinping on Sabarmati riverfront in Ahmedabad on September 17 when he begins his India visit.

According to official sources, the private dinner will be attended by limited number of guests from each side. There will be five persons from each side at the dinner which will not be very ostentatious, they said.

The Sabarmati riverfront was selected as a venue for the dinner as President Xi will be visiting Mahatma Gandhi's Sabarmati Ashram near it.

The sources said that Xi, who is scheduled to arrive on September 17 afternoon in Gujarat, will leave for New Delhi soon after the dinner.

They said everything for Xi's visit was being done "as per the protocol", rejecting reports that there were elaborate arrangements for the dinner.

Modi today tweeted, "On 17th, President Xi Jinping will be in Gujarat. We look forward to extending a warm welcome to him but there will be no birthday celebrations".

Modi will be turning 64 on September 17.