Chinese premier arrives in India for talks

NEW DELHI: Chinese Premier Li Keqiang arrived in India Sunday afternoon on the first stop of his maiden foreign trip, for talks on issues ranging from an unresolved border dispute to a festering trade-imbalance.

Li, who brought with him a large Chinese delegation, will hold talks with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Monday and meet other Indian leaders including from the main opposition BJP party, foreign ministry officials said.

Sonia Gandhi, chief of India's ruling Congress party, will also meet the Chinese leader, they added.

India has said it thinks "very highly" of Li's decision to make the country his first overseas stop since taking charge as premier in March.

After New Delhi, Li will travel Tuesday to Indian financial hub Mumbai and then to Pakistan, Switzerland and Germany as Beijing seeks to address security and economic disputes.

He is scheduled to address Indian business leaders in Mumbai, the officials added. (AFP)