Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who will head to the Gulf this weekend for talks in Oman and Qatar, said Friday he hoped to boost trade and win new investments from countries in the region. "The Gulf region is an area of vital importance for India's security and prosperity," Singh said on the eve of his departure.
"The current international economic and financial situation provides a unique opportunity for India to leverage the vast surplus of funds in the Gulf for our development needs and to accelerate trade and investment flows." Singh, leading a high-level delegation, will first stop in Oman where he is scheduled to meet leader Sultan Qaboos on Sunday, Indian officials said. He then will head later Sunday to Doha, where he will seek to improve New Delhi's natural gas supplies.