Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi was to arrive in India Sunday on a five-day state visit, officials in the ministry of external affairs said. Malaysia is India's largest trading partner in the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN), with trade projected to surpass 4 billion U.S. dollars this year, a ministry statement said. Abdullah was to be accompanied by his wife Endon Mahmood and several cabinet officials, including Foreign Minister Syed Hamid Albar, Works Minister S. Samy Vellu, Energy, Water and Communication Minister Lim and a large business delegation. This is Abdullah's first visit to India since he assumed office in October 2003. He was to meet India's top leadership, including Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam and External Affairs Minister Natwar Singh. He was scheduled to interact with business leaders and be conferred an honorary doctorate by Jamia Millia Islamia University in New Delhi. Abdullah is also scheduled to visit the information technology hub Bangalore in southern India and Agra city in northern India which is home to the Taj Mahal.
