Modi, Xi held one-on-one discussions for 6 hours during Mamallapuram Summit

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping held one-on-one meetings for a total duration of six hours during the Mamallapuram Informal Summit, said Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale on Saturday.

"The two leaders today had a conversation for almost 90 minutes, followed by delegation-level talks and then lunch was hosted by PM Modi. A total of 6 hours of one-to-one meeting was held between the two leaders during this summit," Gokhale said at a special press briefing following the culmination of the two-day summit.

During the delegation-level talks on Saturday, the Prime Minister said that the 'Chennai Connect' is the start of a new era in India-China relations.

The two leaders viewed artefacts and handlooms at an exhibition following the talks, where a hand-woven portrait of Xi on silk was presented to the Chinese President himself by Prime Minister Modi.

On the first day, the close ties shared between the two leaders shone through, as Modi took Xi on a guided tour of UNESCO World Heritage Sites like Arjuna's Penance, Krishna's Butter Ball, Pancha Rathas and the Shore Temple. A veshti-wearing Modi received Xi on Friday afternoon in the historic coastal city, which is famed for its temples and architecture dating back to the Pallava Dynasty.

Modi also took Xi on a guided tour of UNESCO World Heritage Sites like Arjuna's Penance, Krishna's Butter Ball, Pancha Rathas and the Shore Temple. The visiting dignitary also relished a variety of Indian cuisine during the dinner hosted by Modi in his honour on Friday. The two leaders met for over two hours over dinner.

The Chennai Summit takes forward the 'Wuhan Spirit' forged during the inaugural informal meeting between the two leaders in the Chinese city in April last year.