Indian media upbeat over Xi-Modi informal meeting

India's mainstream media is agog with high expectations for the two-day informal meeting between Chinese President Xi Jinping and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi beginning Friday in China's central city of Wuhan.

Almost all the newspapers carried front page reports highlighting the first-of-its-kind meeting.

One of the leading English dailies The Indian Express carried a photograph on the front page showing Modi being welcomed at Wuhan airport by Chinese officials.

The report filed from Wuhan said Modi's clear goal during this visit is to make attempt to "bridge the trust deficit between the two countries."

"Xi is travelling out of Beijing to central China to spend over two days with the Indian PM, the first time he is extending such a gesture to a visiting foreign leader," said the report.

In another article, The Indian Express said the meeting "is not centered on outcomes but on greater understanding of the other."

"In this multi-polar world, several countries have emerged as important poles," it said. "India and China are two such pivots commanding critical balance in the new global multi-polar order."

Another leading English daily Hindustan Times also carried a full page highlighting the meeting.

A report titled "In Wuhan, Modi, Xi to talk ties on boat ride, walks by lake" on its front page said "though there is no structured agenda for the meetings on Friday and Saturday, Modi, Xi are expected to talk freely tied to their national interests."

The most circulated English daily in northern India The Times of India carried a single column report titled "Modi, Xi will meet 6 times in 24 hours".

Before flying to Wuhan on Thursday evening, Modi tweeted: "I will be visiting Wuhan, China on 27-28 April 2018 for an Informal Summit with Mr. Xi Jinping, President of the People's Republic of China. President Xi and I will exchange views on a range of issues of bilateral and global importance. We will discuss our respective visions and priorities for national development, particularly in the context of current and future international situation."

Modi also tweeted that he and President Xi will review the development of India-China relations from a strategic and long-term perspective.

Socialism with Chinese characteristics has entered a new era, while India is at a critical period for its development and rejuvenation, Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on April 22 in Beijing, after talks with visiting Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj.

On this background, Xi and Modi decided to hold this informal meeting, which will help deepen mutual trust between the two leaders and guide the two countries to set new goals and open up new prospects for bilateral ties, Wang said.