Ankara: Direct air links would commence between India and Turkey from September 18, Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee announced on September 17.

Turkish Airways will fly from Istanbul to Delhi twice a week, he told reporters at a joint press conference with his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Emphasising the need for direct shipping and air links between the two countries, Vajpayee said, "Travel and tourism between Turkey and India should now increase, enhancing people-to-people contacts and encouraging better links between our business communities."

PTI