New Zealand PM gets ceremonial welcome at Rashtrapati Bhavan

New Zealand Prime Minister John Key who is on a five-day official visit to India, was on Tuesday accorded a ceremonial welcome at the Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi

Talking to reporters in Delhi, Key said that he wanted to foster close ties with India for the mutual benefit of both nations.

"We have a very strong and deep relationship and then its my heart pleasure of this visit will grown and deepen our relationship with India and the two countries can work together for mutual benefit of each other," he added.

Earlier, he expressed the hope that bilateral trade would see a two-fold increase by 2015.

"It is likely to include about another four further rounds of negotiations between the two sides. In terms of the overall trading position, I mean at the moment this two way trade is about $1.2 billion between India and New Zealand and we are hopeful that by 2015 that number can be in the magnitude three billion New Zealand dollars," the prime minister said.

He said that New Zealand's aide into food supply could help in reducing the pressure of food inflation in India.

Key would leave for Mumbai on Wednesday, and then emplane for Kuala Lampur on Thursday.