Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai arrived in Delhi on Sunday on a four-day trip during which the two sides will sign three pacts, including on education exchange programme.
Karzai, undertaking his second visit as Afghan President, was received by Minister of State for Personnel and Parliamentary Affairs Suresh Pachouri at the Palam Technical airport.
He will hold talks with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on a wide range of issues, including bilateral and regional matters of mutual interest. He will also call on President APJ Abdul Kalam and Vice President Bhairon Singh Shekhawat, besides meeting UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Panchayati Raj Minister Manishankar Iyer.
During the visit, three Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) will be signed. These are MoU on Rural Development, MoU on Education Exchange Programme and MoU on Standardisation between Bureau of Indian Standards and Afghan National Standardisation Authority.
The Afghan President will attend a joint business meeting and inaugurate the first-ever Festival of Afghanistan here.
He will also travel to Hyderabad, where he will visit Hi-Tech City, Tata Consultancy Services, National Remote Sensing Agency and a rural development project.
Karzai is accompanied by 10 ministers and members of the Afghan National Assembly.
{{/usCountry}}Karzai is accompanied by 10 ministers and members of the Afghan National Assembly.
{{/usCountry}}He visited India as Afghan President in February last year before which he came here in March, 2003 as President of Transnational Islamic State of Afghanistan and in February, 2002 as Chairman of Interim Administration.