Philippines President to arrive today

Philippines President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo will arrive here on a three-day visit today.

Mumbai, Oct 4 : Philippines President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo will arrive here on a three-day visit today.

Arroyo's visit is the first to India by a Philippines President in over ten years. The last was by the then President, Fidel Ramos, in March 1997.

During her visit to New Delhi, Arroyo will call on President Pratibha Patil, who will host a banquet in her honour on Friday.

On the same day, Arroyo, accompanied by seven cabinet ministers, will also call on Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to hold bilateral talks.

A declaration to jointly fight international terrorism and a memorandum on enhanced cooperation in the field of renewable energy will be signed between the two countries.

Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) on cooperation between the Foreign Services Institutes of India and the Philippines; between the Exim Bank of India and the Government of the Philippines on extension of a 15-million-dollar Line of Credit to the Philippines and another between the State Trading Corporation of India and the Philippines International Trading Corporation will also be inked.

Vice President Hamid Ansari and External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee will also meet Arroyo.

The Philippines President, accompanied by a 41-member business delegation, will attend a Business Forum organised by Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI).

During her stay in India, Arroyo will also visit Agra.

ANI