Iraq PM in India on 4 day visit

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Visiting Iraq Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki was accorded a ceremonial reception at the Rashtrapati Bhavan this morning. Prime minister Manmohan Singh extended warm greetings to his Iraqi counterpart who had arrived in New Delhi yesterday on a four-day visit to India.

Mr. Nouri Al Maliki also paid floral tributes at the samadhi of Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat this morning. Later in the day Mr. Maliki will hold talks with President Pranab Mukherjee, Vice President Hamid Ansari, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Leader of the opposition in the Lok Sabha Mrs. Sushma Swaraj.

Our correspondent reports, India and Iraq are to ink several agreements including in areas of energy cooperation and water resources after delegation-level talks between Prime Ministers of both countries at Hyderabad house this evening.

This is the first high-level bilateral visit between the two countries in 38 years.Mr. Maliki is accompanied by a high-level delegation including ministers of oil, health and agriculture and the head of Iraq’s national investment commission.He will also interact with the captains of indian industry and visit Agra and Mumbai.