Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to host Chinese PremierXi Jinping in Varanasi in October. Sources have said a formal invite could beextended on Tuesday - the final day of External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar'sChina visit.

Sources have said that India could invite Jinping to thecountry and he could be hosted in Varanasi, PM Modi's Lok Sabha constituency.

In 2014, Jinping had been welcomed to India by PM Modi inGujarat's Vadodara. On a three-day visit then, Jinping was given the red carpetwelcome after he had landed at the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Airport. He hadthen inspected a guard of honour. The visit was celebrated as a massive boostfor Sino-India relations even if certain developments like the Doklam standoffin 2017 have threatened to derail bilateral relations in the past.

On his maiden visit to China since taking charge as ExternalAffairs Minister, Jaishankar conveyed to his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi thatdifferences ought not to be allowed to degenerate to disputes. His visit comesat a time when China has expressed 'çoncerns' over the status of Jammu andKashmir. It was a concern that was already replied to by India when it wasconveyed that it is an internal matter.