"Modi is going to come in May. I will give them dates today. This is a preparatory visit," Swaraj told reporters, according to Indo-Asian News Service.
This will be the second meeting between the two leaders of the Asian powers; Chinese President Xi Jinping held several meetings with Modi on a visit to India last September.
Over the weekend and into next week, Swaraj is holding a series of meetings with President Xi, and with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi to discuss matters related to bilateral, regional and global cooperation. The visit comes at a crucial time, on the heels of a visit to India by US President Barack Obama last week for the country's Republic Day celebrations. The Chinese media had revealed concerns that the visit was an attempt to drive a wedge between India and Washington's strategic competitors, China and Russia.
The Indian External Affairs Minister notes that she would like to see economic ties with China be taken to "a qualitatively new level." Economic development and investment projects with China, already India's second-largest trade partner, have witnessed a significant expansion recently; investment initiatives include improvements to India's railway infrastructure, the development of industrial parks in two Indian states as part of the "Make in India" initiative, defense contracts, and growing tourism and cultural ties. During her visit, Swaraj is set to inaugurate the 'Visit India Year' tourist initiative, which is aimed at attracting increasingly affluent Chinese to the country. She is also set to finalize the Indian-Chinese agreement on opening of a second road route to Tibet's Lake Manasarovar, which is considered a holy site in Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism.
Outstanding issues between the two countries include a long-standing border dispute, on which the Modi government is "committed to exploring an early settlement" on, according to Swaraj, and the Chinese New Silk Road and Maritime Silk Road projects, which India believes may threaten its regional interests.
