Indian Foreign Minister Jaswant Singh begins a three-day official visit to Algeria Monday to boost bilateral relations, foreign ministry spokesman Raminder Singh Jassal said.
"There is a close identity of views on virtually all issues of mutual concern. We have had regular interactions with the Algerian side and Mr. Singh's visit is part of efforts to strengthen bilateral ties," said Jassal.
Singh is scheduled to meet Algerian President Abdalaziz Bouteflika, Foreign Minister Abdalaziz Belkhadem and Prime Minister Ali Benflis to discuss ways to strengthen ties between the two countries.
Jassal said Singh's visit would also focus on boosting Indo-Algerian bilateral trade which currently stands at 25 million dollars with the balance of trade in India's favor with coffee, fabric and machinery exports.
"The Indo-Algerian trade graph has seen a rising trend but there is a scope for a lot more business," said Jassal.
India imports non-ferrous metals and iron and steel from Algeria for its gigantic state-run iron and steel plants -- NEW DELHI (AFP)
© 2000 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
