Prime minister Manmohan Singh arrived in South Africa
today to expand trade links and commemorate 100 years
of the non-violence movement launched by Mahatma Gandhi
in South Africa.
The
PM''s on a four-day state visit commenced with the port
city of Durban, the hub of South Africa''s Indian community.
Besides
retracing Gandhi''s footsteps with a train ride to Pietermaritzburg
where he was thrown-off the train in 1906 and paying
tribute to his work in South Africa, the PM will hold
talks with government officials to boost investments
in areas including telecommunications and textiles.
At
least seven pacts, including those in the fields of
railways, education and science and technology, are
likely to be signed during the visit.
A
proposed preferential trade agreement (PTA) with the
five-nation South African Customs Union (SACU), which
is currently under negotiation.
The
PM''s entourage included Indian business leaders and
government officials. India-South Africa trade was $4
billion in 2005-06, and the two countries have set a
target of 12 billion by 2010.
Dr
Singh and the South African government are also expected
to explore opportunities for civilian nuclear energy
cooperation to source uranium for Indian atomic power
plants. India is looking to Australia, South Africa
and other nations to help meet its demand for uranium.
South
Africa, with its estimated 10 per cent of global uranium
reserves could be an important source of supply for
India, which has barely half a per cent of low-grade
uranium reserve.
The
PM will hold talks with president Thabo Mbeki, whom
he had just
over a fortnight back along with Brazil''s president
Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva in Brasilia as part of a three-nation
forum formed to boost cooperation between developing
nations.
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