Durban: Agreements on extradition, maritime co-operation and health would be signed between India and South Africa during President Thabo Mbeki's four-day official state visit to the Indian subcontinent beginning from October 15.

Mbeki would be accompanied by a high-level delegation of ministers and businessmen, Indian High Commissioner in Pretoria, Shiv Mukherjee said.

During the visit, President Mbeki would visit New Delhi, Hyderabad and Mumbai and would hold talks with Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee, other senior ministers and businessmen, Mukherjee told reporters.

The South African delegation would sign atleast four agreements such as extradition, maritime co- operation and Health, he said.

The visit is a consolidation of the already strong relations between the two countries and it will really focus at the highest level, said Mukherjee during a visit to Durban on October 3.

Mbeki's visit to India is the second such visit by a South Africa leader since the country attained democratic majority rule in 1994. Former President Nelson Mandela paid an offical visit to Delhi one year after assuming office. Mbeki visited India in 1996 as Deputy President.

Mukherjee said there exist strong relations between South Africa and India, including high-level co- operation on matters relating to the developing world, south-south co-operation, and the growing trade relations.

From a situation of no trade whatsoever in 1994, the two-way trade and economic relations between the two countries has grown to more than $ 2-billion annually.

Mukherjee said India is the largest buyer of South African gold and other minerals and already there are about 10 large Indian companies that have opened up branches in South Africa.

PTI