
New Delhi: Chinese Premier Li Keqiang on Sunday began talks with his Indian counterpart Manmohan Singh on all crucial bilateral issues within hours of his arrival here when he affirmed that his visit will "inject new vigour" into bilateral ties and strengthen mutual trust.
The Prime Minister is also hosting the Chinese Premier at a private dinner, ahead of a formal banquet on Monday. 57-year-old Li, accompanied by a senior-level delegation comprising government officials and businessmen, arrived around 3 pm on a three-day-visit and was received by Minister of State for External Affairs E Ahamed and senior ministry officials including Foreign Secretary Ranjan Mathai.
In a written statement issued upon his arrival, Li said it serves the fundamental interests of the two countries and their people and is a blessing to Asia and the world at large that China and India coexist peacefully, maintain friendly relations and work together to realise national rejuvenation. He also said China regarded India as an important partner and friend, adding, "I am looking forward to exchanging views with Indian leaders on bilateral ties and regional and global issues of common concern."
Li also expressed confidence that his visit would strengthen mutual trust, deepen cooperation, expand common interests and consolidate bilateral friendship, which would inject new vigour into the China-India strategic and cooperative partnership designed for peace and prosperity....
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08:27 PM, May 19, 2013

Lahore: Pakistani judge Syed Mazahar Ali Akbar Naqvi probing the murder of Indian death row convict Sarabjit Singh may also visit India to complete the judicial inquiry. Justice Naqvi of the Lahore High Court is investigating the death of Sarabjit who died on May 2 following a brutal assault by prisoners on April 26 within Kot Lakhpat Jail in Lahore. The one-man inquiry tribunal has appealed to Indian nationals having...

07:23 PM, May 19, 2013

New Delhi: Chinese Premier Li Keqiang arrived in New Delhi on Sunday on a three-day state visit, his first overseas trip after assuming office in March, during which he will hold talks with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on a string of issues including the recent border row. The three-day visit comes just a month after a bitter face-off between troops of the two countries in Ladakh. Minister of State for...

03:44 PM, May 19, 2013

New Delhi: With the image of his government in tatters, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will present the last Report Card of UPA-II on May 22 in which he is expected to list the positives such as Direct Benefit Transfer and FDI in retail in a bid to boost the sagging morale of Congressmen with elections less than a year away. Battered by series of scams and the recent sacking of...

12:58 PM, May 19, 2013

Srinagar: In Chenab valley in Jammu and Kashmir, people are scared to enter their houses due to frequent earthquakes. Since the May 1 earthquake that measured 5.9 on the richer scale, 30 aftershocks have hit this hilly region. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Saturday met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and sought 450 crore for relief. "There are cracks in our house. TV fell down. Our house was shaking. Everything shakes,...

10:52 AM, May 19, 2013

New Delhi: All issues, including the boundary question, would be on the table when Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh meet in New Delhi on Sunday evening for talks. Li, who arrives in India Sunday afternoon on a three-day state visit, and Manmohan Singh are also likely to discuss the proposed border defence cooperation agreement during their talks, sources said Saturday. Li's visit comes days after the...

07:58 PM, May 18, 2013

New Delhi: The Congress on Saturday ruled out change of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in the run up to next Lok Sabha elections but steered clear of questions whether he would again be at the helm if the UPA-III comes to power. In reply to questions about change of the Prime Minister soon and holding of early Lok Sabha elections, Congress spokesman PC Chacko said "please do not think of...

07:50 PM, May 18, 2013

New Delhi: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Saturday called on Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and requested a special package for earthquake-hit districts of Doda and Kishtawar in Jammu region. During the meeting, the Chief Minister apprised the Prime Minister about the matters pertaining to peace and development in the state, according to a statement issued by the state government. "The focus of the discussion was recent earthquake...

07:44 PM, May 18, 2013

New Delhi: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is expected to travel to Washington in a few months at the invitation of US President Barack Obama. Obama's invitation to Singh was delivered by US Deputy Secretary of State William Burns during his recent visit here, sources said. Singh has accepted the invitation and will be travelling to Washington, the sources said. The Prime Minister's visit to Washington could be clubbed with his...

09:20 AM, May 18, 2013

New Delhi: Time is appropriate to "reactivate" the GoM on spectrum vacation that could free over 122 Mhz of radiowaves as DoT has almost completed alternate communication network for defence forces, Sam Pitroda, Adviser to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, has said. "With the anticipated completion of the terrestrial network for defence services undertaken by DoT...there are fresh possibilities for vacation of more spectrum by the defence services. In addition, digitisation...

08:55 PM, May 17, 2013

New Delhi: Ahead of Chinese premier Li Keqiang's visit, the Cabinet Committee on Security is understood to have discussed the Border Defence Cooperation Agreement (BDCA) proposed by China to avoid any flare-up situation between the troops of the two sides at the Line of Actual Control. The meeting finalised the agenda for Li's visit and is understood to have discussed India's stand on the BDCA proposed by the Chinese side...

03:50 AM, May 17, 2013

New Delhi: Siddaramaiah, who was sworn in as Karnataka Chief Minister on May 13, on Thursday met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh here, describing it as a courtesy call. The Prime Minister had earlier congratulated Siddaramaiah on his election as Chief Minister of Karnataka and wished him "well for the future." "It was just a courtesy call," the Chief Minister told reporters after meeting the PM. During his stay in the...

04:57 PM, May 16, 2013

Guwahati: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh does not have any cash in hand and owns a 1996 Maruti car, unlike many of his colleagues. This was revealed by the affidavit he submitted to the returning officer in Assam on Wednesday while filing his nomination papers for the forthcoming Rajya Sabha elections. Manmohan Singh stated that his total annual income is Rs 40,51,964. The Prime Minister also declared his total movable assets...

03:06 AM, May 16, 2013

Thrissur: JPC Chairman PC Chacko has said it will be "unconstitutional" to summon former Telecom Minister A Raja, prime accused in the 2G spectrum case, before the Joint Parliamentary Committee to take evidence, as it would be an "infringement" of Article 20 of the Constitution. "Article 20 (iii) of the Constitution clearly states no person accused of any offence shall be compelled to be a witness against himself," Chacko said....

01:26 AM, May 16, 2013

Mumbai: Demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, BJP today said an independent probe in the coal allocation scam was not possible till he occupies the top post. Party Vice-President Balbir Punj told reporters here that the CBI which had acted swiftly in the Rail scam, involving Pawan Bansal, has chosen not to show enough activism in the coalgate investigation. "Some action has been taken against bribe givers, but...

08:59 PM, May 15, 2013

New Delhi: With BJP's debacle in Karnataka following corruption charges clearly on his mind, new Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Wednesday said he will have people with clean image in his Cabinet to be formed in a couple of days. 64-year-old Siddaramaiah, who took over as the Chief Minister on May 13, reached Delhi on Wednesday afternoon and will hold consultation with central leadership on the composition of his Cabinet. "Right...

06:40 PM, May 15, 2013

Guwahati: Claiming that Assam was like home to him, Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh on Wednesday said he would endeavour to work for the development of the state that he has been representing in the Rajya Sabha since 1991. Briefly addressing the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) in the Assembly premises here, Singh said Assam was like home to him and expressed his gratitude to the MLAs here for giving him...

05:29 PM, May 15, 2013

New Delhi: Youth Congress workers on Wednesday protested outside the Bharatiya Janata Party headquarters in the national capital over the BJP's demand for Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's resignation. The protesters stormed barricades, following which the police fired water cannons. The protesters said that the BJP must stop asking for the Prime Minister's resignation and let Parliament function. This came even as Parliament was adjourned sine die last week. However, there...

12:44 PM, May 15, 2013

Guwahati: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Wednesday filed his nomination papers for seeking re-election to the Rajya Sabha for the fifth successive time from Guwahati. The Prime Minister was accompanied by Congress General Secretary Digvijaya Singh. The elections are scheduled to be held on May 30 and Manmohan's present term ends on June 14. The Prime Minister, who has held this seat from the state since 1991, will address the...

12:40 PM, May 15, 2013

Guwahati: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will arrive in Guwahati on Wednesday to file his nomination papers for seeking re-election to the Rajya Sabha for the fifth successive time from the state. The Prime Minister will be accompanied by Congress General Secretary Digvijaya Singh. The elections are scheduled to be held on May 30. Manmohan Singh present term ends on June 14. The Prime Minister, who has held this seat from...

06:05 AM, May 15, 2013