Indian VP leaves on 6 days visit to Turkey

India’s Vice President Hamid Ansari Monday left for Ankara as part of a six-day visit to Turkey that is aimed at giving a fillip to trade and commerce with that country and further bolster bilateral ties. During the visit, India would consider cooperation in such sectors as infrastructure, IT, automobiles and engineering. Ansari's visit is likely to give a boost to the efforts for setting up a free trade agreement between India and Turkey, officials said. A joint study group is currently examining the feasibility of this measure. Bolstering of bilateral and trade relations will top the agenda of Ansari's visit. The delegation accompanying the VP includes Minister for Social Welfare and Justice Mukul Wasnik, senior CPI-M leader Sitaram Yechury and MPs Ranjitsingh Vijaysinh Patil, Vijay Pal Singh and Imgrid McLeod, along with a group of Indian businessman. Ansari will also be participating in a business forum at the Turkish Chamber of Businessmen and Industrialists at Istanbul where he will talk about Indo-Turkish economic and commercial cooperation and the opportunities available in India, to an audience which will include both Turkish and Indian businessmen. Briefing reporters about the visit, Secretary (West), Ministry of External Affairs Madhusudan Ganpathi said the whole gamut of international and regional issues of mutual interest will come up during the visit. This is the first high-level Indian delegation to visit Turkey since 2003 when the then prime minister Atal Behari Vajpayee had gone there. Late PM Rajiv Gandhi had visited the country in 1998. Ansari's visit will commence from Ankara where he will be received by Turkish President Abdullah Gul. He will hold discussions on a range of issues with Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan. He will hold talks with members of the Turkish Grand National Assembly led by its Speaker Camil Cicek. Ansari will pay homage to the founder of the Republic of Turkey, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk at his Mausoleum in Ankara. He will also visit the historical provinces of Konya and Nevsesir (Cappadocia) durinag the tour which will conclude on October 15. Ganpathi said the visit will provide additional impetus and momentum towards further consolidation and strengthening of the broad-based, multifaceted and comprehensive partnership between India and Turkey in areas of mutual interest and benefit. Both India and Turkey are members of the G-20. Turkey is the 16th largest economy in the world and the only Eurasian country in NATO. Its association with Europe through the Customs Union with the EU could offer opportunities for Indian business. The Indo-Turkish Joint Commission on Trade and Economic Cooperation is co-chaired by the commerce ministers of the two countries to give direction towards further consolidation and development of economic and commercial cooperation between the two countries.