New Delhi - India and Turkey were expected to discuss energy cooperation and consolidating trade and political ties during the five-day visit starting this week of Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan to the South Asian country, officials said Thursday. Erdogan, due to arrive in New Delhi late Thursday, was scheduled to hold talks Friday with his Indian counterpart, Manmohan Singh.
It would be the first visit by a Turkish prime minister to India in two decades.
"Apart from enhancing political and commercial ties, a key area of talks will be on energy cooperation, considering that Turkey has rich hydrocarbon sources and India has huge energy needs," an Indian foreign ministry official said.
Singh and Erdogan were also expected to discuss global issues, including terrorism, the financial crisis and reforms of international financial institutions.
A number of economic agreements could be finalized after the talks, the official added.
Erdogan, accompanied by a large delegation that includes three ministers as well as lawmakers and business leaders, was also scheduled to meet Indian President Pratibha Patil, Vice President Hamid Ansari and External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee.
He was also scheduled to meet top Indian business leaders and invite them to step up investment in his country.
After his official engagements in New Delhi, the prime minister was due to visit the Taj Mahal in Agra and the country's information-technology hub of Bangalore.
He is to leave for Ankara Monday.
