Prime Minister Manmohan Singh [Images] on had his first official engagement on Wednesday since his bypass surgery five weeks ago and appeared fine as he held about 90-minute talks with Boni Yayi, President of Benin.

Dressed in grey 'bandgala' suit, 76-year-old Singh walked up to the meeting room at his residence in New Delhi [Images] for talks with Yayi and shook hands with the visiting leader.

In his first public appearance after surgery, Singh waved at the camerapersons. He was cheerful and held about 90-minute long delegation-level discussions with the Benin President, sources said. Immediately after that, he oversaw the signing of three agreements between the two sides.

The Prime Minister has been attending to urgent official work from home but the talks with President of Benin marked his first official engagement since surgery. He has been recuperating after undergoing a 'redo' coronary artery bypass surgery to remove five blockages at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences on January 24.

Image: Benin's President Boni Yayi (L) shakes hands with India's Prime Minister Manmohan Singh before their meeting in New Delhi on March 4, 2009. 

Photograph: Reuters/B Mathur