War games, Kashmir and a US$57 billion question: as Xi meets Modi, a look at the big issues

China’s President Xi Jinping on Friday arrived to a lavish welcome in the southern Indian city of Chennai for his second informal summit with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, against a backdrop of strained ties stemming from trade tensions and border disputes.

Xi was treated to a performance showcasing the local Tamil traditional dance forms on the runway.

Political watchers on both sides say the meeting – which takes place in Mamallapuram, a coastal town about 50km south of Chennai – is aimed at thawing a chill in relations that has been fuelled by China supporting Pakistan’s opposition to India’s move to strip the Kashmir region of its autonomy. Both New Delhi and Islamabad claim Kashmir in full.

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