In the past few months, China's state media projected him as a man of the people and statesman of vision by highlighting his visits to remote and poverty-stricken areas across the country.
Xi in a letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in January had assured that his country would pay "great importance" to developing bilateral ties as their cooperation has brought "substantial benefits" to both sides.
"China will, as it has been doing, pay great importance to developing relations with India and expects to carry out close cooperation with India to create a brighter future of their bilateral relations," Xi said.
