Hua Hin (Thailand), Oct 25 - Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was hailed by ASEAN leaders for taking the reins of India for a second term as he met them bilaterally and collectively here.

Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiabao and all the leaders of the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) congratulated Manmohan Singh on his re-election in May this year.

It was the first time most of them were meeting Manmohan Singh after the Lok Sabha elections.

Despite tensions in Sino-Indian ties, Wen made it a point of congratulating Manmohan Singh Saturday morning as they opened their talks at Hotel Dusit Thani, the venue of the ASEAN and East Asia summits over the weekend.

On Saturday night, an ASEAN statement said its leaders congratulated Manmohan Singh "on his re-election as prime minister... and expressed their conviction that his second term would further strengthen and cement the existing close partnership between ASEAN and India".

Manmohan Singh became prime minister in his first stint in May 2004. The Congress returned to power in May this year with a larger number of MPs in the Lok Sabha and he was again chosen as prime minister. (IANS)