The visit by HRH Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince and Deputy Supreme Commander of Bahrain, to India, during which the two strategic allies agreed to strengthen trade and investment ties, has been declared a major success.

The Crown Prince met Indian President Pratibha Patil, Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh and other top leaders during his high-profile two-day visit.

Prince Salman and his delegation also met top businessmen in Mumbai and New Delhi with a view to integrate the comparative advantages of the two economies.

During the visit, the two nations signed a number of key agreements to increase economic and political ties.

They also agreed to maintain high-level contacts and increase the frequency of interaction to strengthen historical ties.

The Indian leaders expressed their appreciation to the Crown Prince and Bahrain for ensuring the safety and well-being of the Indian community in the kingdom.

The importance India attaches to peace and stability in the region was strongly underlined.

Both sides stressed the need to resolve all differences through peaceful dialogue and without recourse to violence.

The Crown Prince, who visited India at the invitation of Vice-Presient Mohammed Hamid Ansari, thanked the leaders for their hospitality. He was accompanied by a high-level official and business delegation.-TradeArabia News Service