New Delhi Oct 28 (IANS) Tunisian Foreign Minister Khemaies Jhinaoui who is here to participate in a Joint Commission Meeting with his Indian counterpart Sushma Swaraj called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi here on Saturday.
"Held fruitful tals with Tunisia s Foreign Affairs Minister Mr. Khemaies Jhinaoui. India cherishes deep-rooted friendship with Tunisia " Modi tweeted after the meeting.
Jhinaoui who arrived here earlier in the day on a four-day visit to India will participate in the 12th India-Tunisia Joint Commission Meeting (JCM) with Sushma Swaraj.
"During this visit the External Affairs Minister will be holding discussions with Foreign Minister Khemaies Jhinaoui on a wide-range of issues of shared common interest " the External Affairs Ministry said in a statement.
"The JCM will enable both countries a comprehensive review of bilateral cooperation in political economic and cultural areas and people-to-people exchanges " it stated adding that both countries would also be signing agreements and memorandums of understanding.
Jhinaoui who is accompanied by a high-level business delegation representing diverse areas of business trade and investments will address business sessions to be organised by the apex chambers of commerce and industry.
The re-engagement with the North African country comes more than a year after then Vice President Hamid Ansari s visit to Tunisia in June last year. The two countries had inked several MoUs.
Bilateral trade between India and Tunisia stood at $370.46 million in 2016.
The North African country has been a reliable source for phosphates and India accounts for around 50 per cent of
Tunisia s global phosphoric acid exports.
India on the other hand exports a wide range of products including knocked-down kits automobiles electrical items cotton mechanical engines organic chemical products rubber rice coffee and spices.
--IANS
ab/rn
