NEW DELHI: Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh claimed on Tuesday that his country enjoyed excellent relations with all the members of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) but Chinese reports suggested that Beijing had backed a hotline between the prime ministers of the two countries, possibly to avert dangerous miscommunications between the nuclear-armed neighbours.

Attending the SCO summit in the Russian city of Yekaterinburg, in which India has an observer status, Dr Singh said the eight-year-old organisation represented a vast land mass rich in cultural diversity, creativity and resources. ‘India has the privilege of having excellent bilateral relations with each of the members of the organisation,’ he added.

‘Our relations with them go back in time. They rest on solid civilisational, cultural and economic linkages that have flourished over centuries.’

Chinese reports, however, indicated that the Indian prime minister’s meeting with President Hu Jintao on Monday night took into account the potential harm that could come from domestic rhetoric, like recent views expressed publicly by the Indian Air Force chief and a former army chief, in which they targeted Beijing as India’s main threat, and called for urgent military mobilisations.

According to the China Daily, President Hu assured Dr Singh that China had always ‘striven, steadfastly and from a strategic and long-term perspective, to promote good neighbourliness and friendly cooperation with India, an important neighbour of China and also a fast-growing emerging power.’

Indian accounts of the important meeting were not available.

Chinese reports quoted Mr Hu as saying that Beijing was ready to work with India to maintain the ‘sound momentum for development of the bilateral strategic and cooperative partnership.’

He was also for making greater efforts to implement the ‘10 strategies’ reached between the leaders of the two countries.

The reports spoke of the need to ‘enhance mutual political trust and reciprocal cooperation in various fields, take into consideration each other’s concerns and core interests, and strengthen coordination and cooperation on major international and regional issues.’

The China Daily said Mr Hu noted that the two sides should focus on the following key areas in efforts to promote bilateral ties.

The first was to strengthen high-level contacts. Accordingly, China welcomed the planned visit by Indian President Pratibha Patil to Beijing later this year. Chinese leaders are considering visiting India at a time convenient to both sides.

As part of the effort to boost high level contacts, ‘the Chinese side agreed in principle to establish a hot line between the Chinese premier and the Indian prime minister,’ the China Daily said.

Additionally, China wants to deepen bilateral economic and trade cooperation for mutual benefit. ‘The two sides should continue to tap potentials, encourage two-way investments, expand cooperation in contracted projects, and strive to realise the target of US$60 billion in bilateral trade in the year 2010.’

And finally, the two countries should work together ‘to respond to the impact of the international financial crisis. The Chinese side will strengthen communication and coordination with the Indian side, maintain close cooperation within the frameworks of BRIC, the five developing nations and the Group of 20, safeguard the common interests of the developing countries, and strive to contribute to economic recovery and development of Asia and the world at large.’

Prime Minister Singh referred to the need for economic cooperation in his comments to the SCO summit. ‘The economic gains that we have made in the past are today threatened by the global financial and economic crisis. We should convert this crisis into an opportunity for much greater economic cooperation between the Members of the SCO and India,’ he said.

Dr Singh also spoke of the need to stabilise Afghanistan. ‘The issue of stability in Afghanistan is one that is engaging all of us keenly.

I wish to congratulate the Russian Presidency of the SCO for organising a successful conference on Afghanistan in March this year.

India is committed to contributing to international efforts for the economic reconstruction of Afghanistan, and promoting stability in that country,’ he told the SCO meeting.