What's there on the Chinese dish?

New Delhi: Chinese President Hu Jintao arrives in India on Monday on a four day visit. It's the first-ever visit by a Chinese President to India in a decade and also Hu Jintao's first visit to India.

So what's there on Hu's agenda? From border talks to trade, civil nuclear cooperation to political relations - Hu's dish seems full. Here is a complete lowdown:-

Hu's Agenda on India Mission:

> The talks are likely to focus on border dispute, trade and civil nuclear cooperation.

> As many as 12 MoUs are likely to be signed between India and China

> Both sides are likely to give priority to enhancing political relations

> The two sides are likely to sigb an investment protection agreement

> India and China will also discuss international and regional stability

> Cooperation in counter-terrorism measures is another issue on agenda

> India and China plan to open consulates in Kolkata and Shanghai

Key Issues:-

Trade and Business: Trade and business is what has been driving Sino-Indian relations of late. The bilateral trade volume is likely to touch $20 billion this year. The two sides are very keen on enhancing trade relations. The bilateral talks are likely to focus on setting specific targets, say over the next five years or a decade, to achieve certain levels in trade volume. India's Defence Minister and top UPA leader Pranab Mukherjee's announcement last week that there will be no discrimination against Chinese firms in India look very reassuring to the Chinese side and they will try to build on that goodwill to further their business interests.

Civil Nuclear Cooperation: Being a member of the Nuclear Suppliers' Group, nuclear ties with China have become very pertinent and of utmost significance from the Indian point of view, more so after the US Senate gave its stamp of approval to the Indo-US nuclear deal last week. During Chinese President Hu's visit, India will be looking forward to mollifying Chinese sentiments on the issue as China is believed to be unhappy with the Indo-US nuclear deal. There have also been talks of China signing a deal with Pakistan to give them six nuxlear reactors. This suggest a game of diplomacy is on between the two Asian superpowers at this point of time and, under the circumstances, India will need to get the Chinese on its side on the nuclear energy.

Border Dispute: It has not been a smooth build-up to the India-China talks on the border dispute with the Chinese Ambassador to India staking a claim on the whole of Arunachal as being Chinese territory, which invited strong reaction from the Indian political establishment and diplomatic circles. Even though Beijing later tried to play down the controversy on the eve of Hu's visit, the Indian establishment remains uneasy as they head for the talks table.

Tibetan Protests: Hu is likely to face a rough welcome on the India soil with Tibetan groups already out on the street to raise their voice of protest. In fact, everytime Chinese leaders come here, there are protests by Tibetan groups. Some sections of the Tibetans have also been urging India to tell Hu during this visit that he should have direct talks with The Dalai Lama. Other groups have been protesting over human rights issues in Tibet.

Just for the record, Hu and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh have met five times in the recent past at various international venues.