India, South Africa to enhance bilateral cooperation

India and South Africa have agreed on a roadmap to enhance bilateral cooperation in several key sectors, including cooperation on security issues and in addressing international terrorism.

The agreement was reached after union minister of commerce and industry Anand Sharma met Jacob Zuma, president of South Africa, in Pretoria today.

Sharma told the president that the Indian leadership was looking forward to the visit by president Zuma to India early next year, which would give an added impetus to the relationship.

President Zuma and Sharma also discussed measures to deepen and diversify bilateral relationship through a newly energised economic and commercial partnership building on the existing complementarities.
 
Sharma also briefed Zuma on efforts by the ministries of trade and industry on both sides to enhance the quality of business-to-business interaction between CEOs.

It was agreed that India would share its experience in rural development and employment generation and a delegation led by the minister of rural development of South Africa would visit India in the near future in this regard.

Sharma apprised Zuma on India's initiative to host a ministerial meeting on re-energising the Doha Development Round of WTO at which the South African trade and industry minister would also take part.