Wen Jiabao, China's prime minister, laid out the tantalising prospect of more bilateral partnerships in technology and science on the first working day of a visit to India yesterday. The visit began in Bangalore, the southern city that symbolises the country's IT prowess.

"I have started my visit in Bangalore. We rely on business in our two countries to develop friendly co-operation," Mr Wen said at the premises of Tata Consultancy Services, India's leading offshore technology services company.