Thaindian News

New Delhi, June 1 (IANS) With nearly 200 top businessmen and more than half a dozen ministers in tow, South African President Jacob Zuma begins his maiden visit to India Wednesday that is expected to accelerate business ties and firm up cooperation over key global issues, including the reform of the UN Security Council.
Zuma begins three-day state visit to India from Mumbai, the country’s financial hub where he will interact with the Indian business community and push for enhancing trade and investment between two of the largest economies of Asia and Africa.

The two sides are to re-launch their CEOs forum Thursday in the presence of Zuma and India’s Commerce and Industry Minister Anand Sharma.

The forum comprising business bigwigs from both sides will be headed by Ratan Tata, the Tata Group chairman, and Patrice Motsepem, the executive chairman of African Rainbow Minerals.

In a gesture of solidarity with 26/11 victims, Zuma and his wife will stay at the iconic Taj Mahal Palace and Tower Hotel, which has opened a luxury hotel in Cape Town earlier this year.

“South Africa is one of our key partners in the African continent. We expect warm, cooperative and multifaceted ties to be enhanced during the visit,” external affairs ministry spokesperson Vishnu Prakash told reporters here Tuesday.

Zuma, the charismatic leader of the ruling African National Congress, heads to New Delhi for official talks with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and his delegation Friday. In the discussions, Zuma will be assisted by ministers of international relations, defence, public enterprises, trade and economy, agriculture, transport and communications.

Manmohan Singh’s delegation will include Sharma, Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar, Defence Minister A.K. Antony, Minister of State for External Affairs Preneet Kaur, Minister of State for IT and Communications Sachin Pilot and other senior officials.

Several agreements spanning diverse sectors are expected to be signed. Around 35 agreements are under consideration, sources said.

To give more heft to economic ties, the two sides will also discuss steps to ramp up negotiations for a bilateral, investment and promotion agreement.

Besides focusing on expanding economic cooperation across a swathe of areas, including energy, infrastructure, pharmaceuticals and tourism, the UN reforms will been important area of discussion between the two sides. South Africa and India has supported each other’s candidacy for a non-permanent seat in the UN Security Council for 2011-12.

Manmohan Singh and Zuma last met in Brasilia for the India-Brazil-South Africa (IBSA) summit in April.

Zuma was sworn in April 12 last year amid the chanting of a Hindu prayer.

Bilateral trade between India and South Africa has multiplied three-fold, from $2.5 billion in 2002 to $7.5 billion in 2008-09. Despite the global meltdown, bilateral trade between India and South Africa remained on course last year.

Zuma’s visit to India takes place in the 150th anniversary year of the arrival of Indians in South Africa, home to the largest Indian diaspora. Nearly 1.5 million persons of Indian origin constitute two and a half per cent of the South African population.