Several pacts to be signed during Wen's visit

About half-a-dozen pacts are likely to be signed during Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao's visit to India during which he will also hold talks with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on key security and strategic issues and address a public function.

India is expected to raise bilateral issues impacting bilateral ties such as stapled visa to residents of Jammu andKashmir, activities of Chinese firms in Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir and increasing military sales to Pakistan and China-Pak civil nuclear co-operation.

Singh had sent a clear signal to Beijing during his meeting with Wen on the margins of ASEAN recently when he stated that both parties "need to show sensitivity to each other's core issues".

The visit, coinciding with the 60th anniversary of the diplomatic ties between the two countries, is also seen by many here as an attempt to put onto track bilateral relations which had hit a rocky patch in recent past.

Among other areas, the pacts likely to be signed would pertain to hydro projects, including flood forecasting and cultural exchanges.

Wen last visited India in April 2005 during which the two sides inked agreement on the Political Parameters and Guiding Principles for the Settlement of the India-China Boundary Question.

During his three-day stay, Wen will address a public function, also expected to be attended by Members of Parliament and other prominent personalities. In 2005 also, Wen had addressed similar kind of public function.

Wen is accompanied by a biggest-ever trade delegation of over 300 businessmen, signalling that the focus of his "landmark" visit would be to give further impetus to the already booming bilateral trade.

Wen's visit is the third high-profile trip in last two months which saw US President Barack Obama and French President Nicolas Sarkozy, who attracted business of billions of dollars during their trips and will be followed by Russian President Dimitry Medvedev, who is scheduled to arrive later this month.