In a surprise and politically-savvy move, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, while talking to media persons on his return journey from Beijing, sent the message of peace to Left parties.
He said, "I am not very happy to part company with our left colleagues. In my view, India is faced with difficult problems. All parties, which are committed to secularism and nationalism, must work together to deal with communal and regional divide that is being sought to be created by some anti-social elements."
In a significant move, he has expanded the political space for the Congress, which is being pushed to the wall on issue of secularism and is facing difficulties with his political allies on various other issues.
Three months ago, Left parties parted ways with the United Progressive Alliance but Dr Singh's first overture will be seen pregnant with possibilities for the parties with staunch secular agenda.
Dr Singh confidently claimed he was not seeking an early election.
Importantly, while talking about Indian economy's survival against the global economic crisis, Dr Singh said the crisis was far from over.
He said, "I cannot say it has bottomed out. I really don't know. I did claim at the last ASEAN meeting where Chinese president Hu Jintao was also present, I had said that the world is sitting on a very dangerous material. That next year, when we meet we will be discussing a global financial crisis. Understanding that concern, I have been saying for the last 18 months that there are clouds on the horizons, which if not tackled properly could create trouble for the global economy."
Elaborating on India's defence mechanism against the onslaught of global financial turmoil, he said, "As far as our economy is concerned, we have built social safety nets, the very fact that we have today an employment guarantee programme in all rural areas, the fact that we have given handsome prices to our farmers, the fact that we have widened the social security net. So, we have also the infrastructure projects, the investments in railways, the investments in roads, the investments in ports -- sea ports. We have built enough stabilisers in our system."
While sharing the details about his meeting with Jintao, Dr Singh said, "We reviewed our bilateral relations; we expressed satisfaction at the rapid growth of our trade turnover which now exceeds $40 billion. When President Hu Jintao had come, we had fixed a target of $60 billion in 2010. Both of us expressed confidence that the target will be realised."
"Last time, when I was in Beijing in January, I and President Hu Jintao agreed that the two countries should cooperate at the level of our experts in dealing with trans-border rivers. He has very kindly agreed that the expert groups from both sides should meet," Dr Singh added.
He said both sides think that two meetings that have taken place to discuss the trans-borders rivers are a good beginning.
Dr Singh said, "We also touched upon the boundary issue. Both of us expressed our keen desire to find an early settlement. We expressed satisfaction at the work of our special representatives and we both agreed that we should instruct our special representatives to expedite the process."
China and India have once again resolved to keep the peace at their borders. The prime minister said both India and China will work together to coordinate their thinking at regional and multilateral forums.
Hu and Dr Singh also held 'extensive discussion on the international economic crisis'.
"We exchange views. Both of us agreed that this is a crisis in which India and China should remain in contact and even work with like-minded countries to find pragmatic solutions to the problems that have arisen," Dr Singh said.
The prime minister, however, said he did not raise the issue of nuclear cooperation with Hu Jintao.