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Italian PM Berlusconi on first visit to India
New Delhi, Nov 27: India and Italy will ink an agreement for cooperation in science and technology during the three-day visit by Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi from today which is expected to provide an impetus to further consolidate bilateral relations.
New Delhi, Nov 27: India and Italy will ink an agreement for cooperation in science and technology during the three-day visit by Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi from today which is expected to provide an impetus to further consolidate bilateral relations.
On his first visit to India, Berlusconi will hold discussions on a wide range of bilateral, regional and international issues of mutual concern with Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee on Friday.
The Italian leader will call on President APJ Abdul Kalam and have meetings with External Affairs Minister Yashwant Sinha and leader of the opposition Sonia Gandhi.
The agreement on science and technology will facilitate exchange of scientists and research scholars and joint research in niche areas of technology. Berlusconi will also inaugurate the Italian Cultural Centre in the capital.
The last Prime Ministerial visit from Italy was in 1998 by Romano Prodi. Vajpayee visited Italy in 2000.
With bilateral trade at 2.1 billion US dollars, Italy is India's fourth largest trading partner in the EU and ranks 12th in terms of approved investments amounting to 1.29 billion dollars from 1991 to 2002.
An official statement said India's relations with Italy are cordial and both share fundamental values of democracy, civil liberties, human rights, rule of law and free press.
Bureau Report
On his first visit to India, Berlusconi will hold discussions on a wide range of bilateral, regional and international issues of mutual concern with Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee on Friday.
The Italian leader will call on President APJ Abdul Kalam and have meetings with External Affairs Minister Yashwant Sinha and leader of the opposition Sonia Gandhi.
The agreement on science and technology will facilitate exchange of scientists and research scholars and joint research in niche areas of technology. Berlusconi will also inaugurate the Italian Cultural Centre in the capital.
The last Prime Ministerial visit from Italy was in 1998 by Romano Prodi. Vajpayee visited Italy in 2000.
With bilateral trade at 2.1 billion US dollars, Italy is India's fourth largest trading partner in the EU and ranks 12th in terms of approved investments amounting to 1.29 billion dollars from 1991 to 2002.
An official statement said India's relations with Italy are cordial and both share fundamental values of democracy, civil liberties, human rights, rule of law and free press.
Bureau Report