Strong leaders Modi, Xi could clinch border deal: Doval

Says both are powerful and very popular leaders and they will discuss important things

Strong leaderships in India and China opens up possibilities to find a solution to the vexed boundary dispute and bilateral relations are set to see an "orbital jump", National Security Advisor Ajit Doval said here today.

Talking to the Indian media after his wide ranging talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping, State Councillor Yang Jiechi and Foreign Minister Wang Yi, Doval said that border issues between the two countries will be discussed during Xi's visit to India next week.

"Important leaders will discuss important things," he said.

Asked about the perception that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Xi, who are considered strong leaders by virtue of their mandate, could clinch a deal to end the dispute, he said "these are two powerful and very popular very decisive leaders".

"Whether it opens possibilities, yes. Whether it leads to solutions, nobody can be sure because that does not necessarily mean that it is only dependent on single factor," he said.

"Definitely they are serious leaders. They like to make serious efforts. Both had the mandate in party and parliament besides sufficient time ahead of them. I am very hopeful that India-China relationship will make an orbital jump under the leadership of these two powerful leaders," he said.

India asserts that the border dispute covered nearly 4,057-km long Line of Actual Control, while China claims that it is confined to about 2,000 kms to the area of Arunachal Pradesh, which it refers to as Southern Tibet.