Chinese President Xi Jinping and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi met in the coastal town of Mamallapuram near Chennai on Friday. Xi arrived in Tamil Nadu’s capital Chennai at 2 pm on Friday to attend a two-day informal summit with Modi.

Xi was received by Governor Banwarilal Purohit, Speaker P Dhanapal, Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami and Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam. The Chinese president went to the ITC Grand Chola around 2.30 pm from the airport.

Chennai got a makeover ahead of the meeting with walls being cleaned of graffiti and electric poles being given neat covers. New fences were built outside the monuments and the stone pavements leading to it were renovated. Security measures were also beefed up in the state with the traffic police announcing major route changes within Chennai city limits and the outskirts. The routes were closed for heavy vehicles on both the days of the summit, according to The News Minute.

Here are some photographs from Chennai and Mamallapuram:

Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrives in Chennai ahead of the informal summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Mamallapuram on Friday. (Photo credit:Ministry of External Affairs/AFP)
People cross a blocked road near Mamallapuram on Friday. (Photo credit: Arun Sankar/AFP)
Band members rehearse on a road before the arrival of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping in Vadanemmeli on the outskirts of Chennai on Friday. (Photo credit: Adnan Abidi/Reuters)
Folk artists prepare to welcome President Xi Jinping in Chennai on Friday. (Photo credit: Arun Sankar/AFP)
A motorcyclist drives past a poster welcoming President Xi Jinping in Chennai on Friday. (Photo credit: Arun Sankar/AFP)
Folk dancers rehearse by the road before the arrival of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping in Vadanemmeli, on the outskirts of Chennai, on Friday. (Photo credit: Adnan Abidi/Reuters)

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