Ahern holds trade talks with India

Taoiseach Bertie Ahern will today hold official talks with the president and prime minister of India as part of his week-long trade mission.

Mr Ahern will be aiming to enhance political and economic relations during the first state visit to the subcontinent by a taoiseach.

Mr Ahern will today meet President Dr Abdul Kalam and Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh in the Indian capital, New Delhi.

The Taoiseach will also lay a wreath at Raj Ghat, the Ghandi memorial.

As part of the itinerary, he will visit St Columba’s Christian Brothers School in the city and launch the Indo-Irish Friendship Council.

He will also attend business and education events and witness the signature of cultural, scientific and business agreements.

The Taoiseach is accompanied on the trip by Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment Micheál Martin, Minister for Education and Science Mary Hanafin and Minister for Sports, Arts and Tourism John O’Donoghue.

The Irish delegation includes 80 firms drawn from a range of sectors including ICT, biotech, education, tourism, culture and the arts.