At the invitation of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh of the Republic of India, Premier Li Keqiang of the State Council arrived at Palam Airport of New Delhi by special plane in the afternoon of May 19, 2013, kicking off his official visit to India.

Li Keqiang delivered a written address at the airport. He said that he is very glad to pay an official visit to India at the invitation of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. He extends sincere regards and best wishes on behalf of the Chinese government and 1.3 billion Chinese people to the Indian government and 1.2 billion Indian people.

Li Keqiang stressed that China and India are friendly neighbours linked by mountains and rivers. Since the establishment of the diplomatic relationship between the two countries, bilateral relations have made substantial progress. In the new century, China and India have kept closer political exchanges and continuously expanded practical cooperation. Today, China and India are both speeding up their development and both committed to the rejuvenation of their economies and improvement of people's livelihood, while the integration of their interests constantly deepened. The China-India cooperation is about the exchanges of the two civilizations, the linkage and complementarity of the two markets, the common development of the two major emerging economies and the mutual benefit of the two neighbouring countries. It is in the fundamental interest of the two countries and their peoples for China and India to maintain peace and friendship and to achieve rejuvenation through cooperation. It is as well a blessing for Asia and the world.

Li Keqiang expressed that China will view India as an important partner and friend. He expects to exchange in-depth views with Indian leaders on bilateral relations as well as international and regional issues of common concern and to listen to the opinions and proposals of the Indian people from all walks of life on the China-India relations. He believes this visit will achieve the goal of strengthening mutual trust, deepening cooperation, expanding common interest and consolidating bilateral friendship, to inject new impetus to China-India strategic cooperative partnership for peace and prosperity.

During the visit, Li Keqiang will meet and hold talks respectively with the Indian President Pranab Mukherjee, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Vice President and Chairman of Rajya Sabha Hamid Ansari, as well as local leaders, meeting with Indian friends and delivering speeches to the political, academic and business communities. China and India will also sign a series of cooperative documents in the fields of economy, trade, agriculture, culture, environmental protection and local exchanges.

Upon arrival, Li Keqiang was greeted at the airport by E. Ahamed, Minister of State for External Affairs and other senior government officials of India, as well as H.E. Wei Wei, Chinese Ambassador to India.