Deeper co-operation between Ireland and India is essential to further trade and investment between the two states, the Taoiseach Bertie Ahern told Indian and Irish businesspeople and politicians in New Dehli this morning.
Speaking at the Nehru Memorial Museum and Library, Mr Ahern said there were considerable opportunities for substantially increased trade and two-way investment between Ireland and India.
He also welcomed the Indian government's economic reforms and said recent growth had "created a new level of demand for products and services that gives scope to Irish companies to do much more business in India."
The EU-India Strategic Partnership and the Joint Action Planprovides the strategy and the right environment for "deeper co-operation between the European Union and India which will also help in progressing the Indo-Irish partnership," he said.
Mr Ahern also called for reform of the Security Council's structures which he said "seriously out of line with today's realities".
"I would like to see early agreements on a restructured Security Council which would be more balanced and representative, and which would properly reflect the contributions made by states to peace and security in their regions and the world."
Mr Ahern is due to attend a Tourism Ireland promotional event this evening and will later meet members of the Irish community in New Delhi.