India on Tuesday raised hopes of resolving the border dispute with China with visiting National Security Adviser Ajit Doval asserting that the strong leadership in New Delhi and Beijing were capable of achieving a breakthrough.

On a visit here ahead of President Xi Jinping’s maiden trip to New Delhi, Mr. Doval told the Indian media that ties between the two nations were poised for an “orbital jump.”

Mr. Xi starts his visit from Ahmedabad on September 17 and will reach New Delhi that evening, officials said.

Mr. Doval said Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Mr. Xi “are two powerful and very popular, very decisive leaders.” “Whether it opens possibilities [of resolving the border dispute], 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. Mr. Doval, whose mission to Beijing was to finalise preparations for the President’s visit, made these observations following talks with Mr. Xi, State Councillor Yang Jiechi and Foreign Minister Wang Yi. The Chinese leadership interpreted Mr. Doval’s visit as a statement of New Delhi’s intent to consolidate ties. President Xi, who received Mr. Doval in the afternoon, said the NSA’s visit “sends a positive signal to the outside world and I appreciate that.” Mr. Xi recalled the “great conversation” he had with Mr. Modi during the BRICS summit in Brazil.