The Taoiseach travels to India today to head up a trade mission. He will be accompanied by the Ministers for Enterprise, Education, and Arts, Sport & Tourism as well as representatives of nearly 100 firms and organisations from both sides of the border.
He is expected to meet the Indian Prime Minister and president and will fulfil a number of trade and political engagements.
With over a billion people and a burgeoning middle class, India represents a major world market. But trade between Ireland and the world's 11th largest economy is sluggish, despite a common language and many other links.
This week's mission is the first official visit of a Taoiseach to India, and is part of the Government's ambitious Asia strategy, with the visit complementing a similar trip to China last year.
The trip will mainly target the IT industry and education, while Arts minister John O'Donoghue will focus on attracting more Indian tourists, and on persuading the country's thriving film sector to shoot some Bollywood blockbusters in Ireland.
