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The world's fastest growing major economies and most populous nations face many of the same challenges, including stability in Asia and the struggle against terrorism.
Yet in practice, the Chinese dragon and the Indian elephant are very different creatures. They may have learned to live together, but they may always be more rivals than friends.
On Thursday, Singh called the relationship an 'imperative necessity', and dismissed talk that India was ganging up with the United States, Japan and Australia against China.
"I have made it clear to the Chinese leadership that India is not part of any so-called contain China effort," Singh told reporters, according to the Press Trust of India news agency.
Annual summits between the former foes may be slowly breaking down decades of wariness, but a "strategic partnership" announced three years ago has yet to take off.
"If you compare this visit to previous years, it is a very welcome departure that there is no attempt to project some grand achievement," said Alka Acharya, the head of East Asian studies at New Delhi's Jawaharlal Nehru University.
"There is a certain normality coming about in terms of high level interaction but there is considerable depth in the relationship which has yet to be explored."
Singh aims to do exactly that on his visit.
"When you talk about broader global issues, we have a lot in common," said one Indian official, who declined to be named.
COMMON GROUND AND DISPUTED LAND
In their reaction to climate change, India and China sound at their most harmonious. Both resist calls for mandatory curbs on emissions for developing nations and insist that the greater burden for mitigation be borne by the already developed West.
"We have a similar approach, maybe not identical, but there is a fair amount of congruence," the official added.
And yet there remains a lack of cooperation in many areas, and bilateral irritants such as a festering border dispute and trade barriers, said Zhang Li, at China's Sichuan University.
"This visit probably won't bring breakthroughs in those issues, but it could set a more positive tone for dealing with them," he said.
The economic relationship between Asia's engines of growth falls far short of potential. Bilateral trade has crossed $30 billion and is growing fast but non-tariff barriers remain high.
India is unhappy the trade balance is increasingly skewed in China's favour, and would prefer to be exporting more finished goods and less raw materials such as iron ore.
China complains of barriers to direct investment in India and wants a "level playing field", according to its ambassador to India, Zhang Yan.
But there is a more fundamental problem with Sino Indian relations, a border dispute that led to war in 1962. China still claims much of India's vast northeastern state of Arunachal Pradesh, land it says is rightly part of Tibet.
Decades of glacial negotiations have produced little more than a commitment to solve the problem through dialogue.
Last year, China even seemed to harden its position by restating its claim to the Buddhist monastery at Tawang, and Indian troops complain of frequent border incursions last year. It's an issue that still jangles Indian nationalist nerves.
"There is a strong need for them to develop a relationship of cooperation, but they won't be able to do that until the border issue is out of the way," said Mira Sinha Bhattacharjea, emeritus fellow of the Institute of Chinese Studies in New Delhi. There are other concerns too, including China's longstanding relationship with India's estranged brother Pakistan.
China's old policy of balancing India by supporting Pakistan looks outdated given India's growing clout, analysts say. But the prospect of them working together to promote stability in trouble spots such as Pakistan and Afghanistan still looks remote.
Beijing eyes uneasily India's burgeoning friendship with the United States and its traditional support for Tibetan refugees.
Jian Yang, a senior lecturer at the University of Auckland, says China does not treat India as a threat but India does.
"For China, the biggest concern is to make sure that India doesn't feel threatened by China's rise, and that India won't move too close to countries like the United States and Japan as a kind of balance against China," he said.
Any misadventure against Modi's interest and well being will be met with zero tolerance. If you have a communal axe to grind, then go to Middle East and carry out your bla bla. Modi is Indian,thick and thin,and as an Indian is FREE to travel anywhere in India,no place in India can be accepted as no go area.
To: Ms.Sonia Gandhi, President - INC Jan 14 Guj CM is visiting Madras and he is to address a meeting in Kamarajar Arangam, an auditorium owned by Congress Trust of Tamil Nadu. As we all know this gentleman for his atrocities against humanity, I request you to use your office to stop this meeting to take place in your party premises. This man associated with RSS who burnt the effigies of (late) Mr.Kamarajar in 1960's, this meeting if conducted will be a disgrace to our former CM.
WHAT A STATEMENT ! EVEN IF INDIA WANTS, IT CANT BE PART TO CONTAIN CHINA. IN FACT IT IS THE OTHERWAY ROUND WITH COMMUNISTS SHAMELESSLY AND THOUGHTLESSLY ACTING AGAINST THE NATIONAL INT. AT THE BEHEST OF CHINA. AND MMS LEADS A GOVT. WHICH SURVIVES WITH THE SOMMIES SUPPORT. FOR UPA THE POWER IS MORE IMP. THAN NATIONAL PRIDE. THEY KNEEL DOWN TO AGENTS OF PAKISTAN,CHINA AND VETICAN, ALL IN THE NAME OF SECULARISM...MY FOOT SECULARISM, ASK THE MUSLIMS IF THEY BLV IN SECULARISM. THIS IS A STRONG WEAK NATION.
If the United States of America is willing to do busniess with India on basis of mutual admiration, respect and benefit, why can't the Chinese be taught to do the same? The only way to get respect from China is make them throughly and convincingly understand that this is not 1962. The outcome today would be devastating.Until the leadership of India can make this crystal clear to the Chinese they will be getting nowhere with the Chinese, and their policy of containing India.Like the Chinese and the rest of the developed world, India should do what is in India's interest.
Our PM is very nice to Chinese. May be he was told by the Indian commies to be extra nice.Now, can we get the Chinese premier to say "China not part of Paki effort to contain India"?
RIGHT SIR, WELL SAID..ALSO CHINA MAY GRAND MMS A PERSSION TO GO AHEAD WITH NUCLEAR DEAL. WHAT A GOVT.! WHAT A NATION!
india and china should teach usa a strong lesson
PAKISTAN IS ALREADY DOING. IN FACT PAKIS ARE TEACHING HE WORLD A LESSON THAT THEY WILL NEVER FORGET, I MEAN IF THE WORLD SURVIVES BIN LANDENS.
One hopes that ex-IMF,Member,Club Of Rome,US-servant,,MM Singh,would not betray our nation,yet again,as he is doing in selling her to the International Bankers and MNCs,under the pretext of theso called "REFORMS".
I feel ashamed to say that because of political cowards especially from the congress party, India is still not able to talk straight to China of its crocked ways in our neighborhood. Dr Manmohan Singh is behaving like a sacred schoolboy telling the teacher that he is good boy and is willing to be obedient always. I wish to remind him that he is PM of India, why is he so eager to explain to China, as if we have done a crime. In spite of China’s dangerous dealing in our neighborhood so that India is contained fighting Islamist Jehadis, China never till date had said it will stop supporting enemies of India. My appeal to my country men is don’t trust China.
The PM should not repeat the mistake made by Nehru to call "Hindi Chini Bhai Bhai". Chinese were never a brother and they never will be. China only understands strength and will always take over the weak. China has not taken over Pak because of American influence there otherwise China would be bordering with Amritsar. PM will have to talk with China from point of strength and make China aware in no certain words that China must control their illegal activities on our borders. Promise them that India will kill all moist excursions in Indian territories. Any talks with China should be on equal level and there is no harm in admitting that if India needs any foreign help or materials to secure its borders India will do so. India wants to live in peace with all neighbours but not at any cost. Mutual respect and honouring each others people and territories is the name of the game.
India is not part of any 'contain china effort' but china is surely containing India by helping our rough neighbours.
Everytime a stupid Indian minister has taken pains to visit Chin to get insulted, Chin has done some agressive act to rub salt into the wounds. Eg., when Vajpayee went to Chin in 70's as foreign minister, Chin immediately attacked Vietnam, and Vajpayee beat a hasty retreat. This time I expect Chin will send forces to help Malaysia subdue the Tamils or maybe do some target practice on Tibetans. Forget about India trying to contain Chin, Chinis have a way of dealing with criminals and rogues of the world, and have pretty good understanding with Pakistan Malaysia, Burma, Maoists, Banglades etc. It is a wonder they have not yet transferred nukes to Burma, maybe they go scared that the Burmese generals might someday nuke Chin. Go ahead Manmoan, we are looking forward to find out the slap Chinis will provide on us this time.
Never trust the Chinese, the only thing straight about them is their hairs!Much of the problems in South East Asia are caused by them. Their philosophy in life is simply to make money by hook or crook. They will resort to illegal activities such as illegal logging,gambling,prostitution and crime through secret societies to make the initial capital for business and they believe that any rules/laws can be compromised by giving bribes.Besides that,this is a very chauvinistic race.Singapore, being a citystate under Lee Kuan Yew(LKY) knew very well that the above characteristics are perilious to a tiny state like Singapore hence LKY had used the iron fist to ensure the evils did not take root in Singapore.
Chinese,(like all communists are untrustworthy). They tell something and do something else. India learn the lesson, in 1962. Communists only understand the language of rough. If India is strong in Military and economical terms, we will be equal, otherwise, they will just repeat 1962. Be care ful with Chineese. Western countries are much better.
P.M. will do well to note that China, only respect Economic and Military strength and only yields to position of strength. Only the doctrine of MAD, will ensure that China keeps its hegomenic interest, at arms length.With this back drop India,has to test fire its Agni111,as soon as possible and also fast develop second nuclear attack arsenal,i.e nuclear submarines.This must be India's priority. Once India is at par with China, economically and militarily,then border dispute will be resolved with a drop off hat. As to Pakistan,they have been relegated to third division, and now matters little to India/Chinageopolitical equation.
PM's statement is reflection of spineless leadership. This statement comes at point when the Chinese are arrogantly intruding in India. Please don't repeat 1962. Hello Mr. Prime Minister, Please wake up. You also owe something to the country. Don't give into the communist.
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