Arroyo starts 3-day state visit in India

President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo starts Thursday a three-day state visit in India following her visit to China wherein she informed Prime Minister Hu Jintao of her decision to scrap the $329.4-million ZTE broadband deal. A Malacañang statement said Mrs Arroyo was to arrive in Mumbai on Wednesday night for the visit that is aimed at boosting economic and diplomatic ties between India and the Philippines. Highlighting the first leg of her visit in this city Thursday is the signing of two trade agreements expected to further boost the bilateral relations between the two countries. The Philippines' Macropharma Corporation, represented by its president, Jose Salvador Rivera, will sign a Joint Venture Agreement with Indian company, Emcure Pharmaceuticals Ltd. through its executive director Arun Kumar. The deal seeks to make available in the Philippines quality and affordable medicines in the field of nephrology and oncology. Similarly up for signing is a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between the State Trading Corporation of India Ltd., through its chairman and managing director Dr. Arvind Pandalai, and the Philippine International Trading Corporation (PITC) headed by its president and chief executive officer, Jorge Mendoza Judan. "The MOA is expected to establish a long-term and mutually beneficial trade relationship for import and export of various products in both countries," the Palace statement said. President Arroyo will also deliver a keynote speech at the Confederation of Indian Industries (CII) to be held at the Ballroom of the Taj Mahal Palace and Towers. She will then have a series of courtesy calls of various Indian businessmen. The President will also have a meeting and a High Tea with Shri Somanahalli Mallaiah Krishna, the governor of Maharashtra State at the Raj Bahvan. On Friday, she will go to the Indian capital of New Delhi, considered as a major travel gateway to this country and one of the busiest entry points for overseas airlines. Full Indian military honors will be extended to her upon her arrival at the Rashtrapati Bhavan Forecourt, where she will lay a wreath at the Samadhi (tomb) of Mahatma Gandhi. She will have an expanded bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh at the Hyderabad House before the State Banquet to be hosted by Indian President, Prathibha Patil and her husband at the Ashoka Hall, Rashtrapati Bhavan. She will then deliver a speech at the Filipino-Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industries (FICCI) meeting before attending to another series of courtesy calls of Indian businessmen based in New Delhi. She will also have a coffee meeting with the Filipino community. On Saturday, Mrs Arroyo leaves New Delhi for Agra to take a two-hour tour of the world-renowned Taj Mahal. After the tour, she departs for Manila and is expected to arrive late Saturday. - GMANews.TV