On May 19, 2013, Premier Li Keqiang of the State Council held a small-scale meeting with Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and attended a dinner hosted by Singh in New Delhi. Both sides exchanged in-depth views on China-India relations as well as issues of common concern.

Li Keqiang said that China and India are important neighbours and the most populous emerging economies in the world. The relationship between the two countries is of strategic significance. It will benefit the two peoples as well as regional and world peace, stability and prosperity for China and India to strengthen practical cooperation and to achieve common development.

Li Keqiang noted that China-India relationship has made substantial progress in recent years. President Xi Jinping and Your Excellency, Prime Minister recently met each other during the Fifth BRICS Summit, and I, after taking office as the Premier, also held talks with you over telephone. The leaders of the two countries share consensus on pushing forward the relationship to a new level and opening a new chapter for the relationship between China and India. I am showing the whole world by this visit that the mutual political trust between China and India is enhancing, practical cooperation is expanding and common interests far outweighing differences. The two countries have the will, wisdom and ability to jointly forge new bright spots in cooperation among Asian countries, to create new engine of the world economy, and the huge potential for growth and market demand for Asia and the world, so as to push forward the China-India strategic cooperative partnership for peace and prosperity.

Singh said that the Indian government and the people feel deeply honoured that Premier Li Keqiang has picked India as the first stop of his first trip abroad after taking office. He always believes that there is enough space in the world for the common development of India and China. India and China are partners, not rivals. It is of great significance to the two peoples as well as to world peace and prosperity for India and China to cooperate with each other. The Indian side highly values developing its ties with China and is ready to work with China to promote practical cooperation, to manage and control border disputes, and to push their strategic cooperative partnership to a new level.