Chinese President Xi Jinping expected to visit India next month

NEW DELHI: Chinese President Xi Jinping is likely to visit India in the third week of September and both the countries are working to ensure "substantive outcome" from the trip.

"The visit is likely to be in September. This will be perhaps in the third week of September. Exact dates will be announced when both the countries are ready," External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Syed Akbaruddin said.

He said External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj had met her Chinese counterpart Wang Yi on Saturday on the sidelines of ASEAN meeting in which they deliberated on achieving "substantive outcome" from the President's visit.

"They discussed the whole gamut of issues which could serve as outcomes for President Xi's visit to India," Akbaruddin said.

Describing the talks between Swaraj and Wang as "substantive and very satisfactory", the Spokesperson said India was looking forward to an interesting and successful visit by President Xi to India.

"The meeting was substantive and very satisfactory and, in our assessment, has paved the way for what we look forward to be an interesting and successful visit from the President Xi to India," the Spokesperson said.

He said Swaraj and Wang discussed a number of issues including trade imbalance, opening up of new routes for Kailash Mansarover Yarta and possibilities of Chinese investment in Industrial parks in India.