Ankara/New Delhi - Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan left Ankara for India on Thursday for a five-day official visit where the issues of the world financial crisis and bilateral trade are set to top the agenda in his talks with Indian leaders. Speaking before flying out of Ankara, Erdogan said Turkey and India enjoyed a "historical friendship" and that one of the aims of his trip would be to increase bilateral trade.
"We are still below our trade potential," Erdogan said.
Indian Foreign Ministry officials said the issues of energy cooperation, terrorism, the financial crisis, reforms of international financial institutions and consolidating political ties would also be on the agenda during Erdogan's visit.
Erdogan, due to arrive in New Delhi late Thursday, was scheduled to hold talks Friday with his Indian counterpart, Manmohan Singh.
"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.
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.
