India is looking forward to deepening its multi-faceted ties with Asean, laying emphasis on trade, air links and counter-terrorism, a senior foreign ministry official said Friday.

During Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's visit to Laos for the Asean-India summit, India and the 10 Asean countries will not only seek to enhance trade ties but agree on a string of developmental projects, said Rajiv Sikri, Secretary (East) in the ministry of external affairs.

"The heart of India-Asean relations is the economic one," said Sikri, stating that India was targeting trade worth $30 billion by year 2007. There has already been a 10 percent increase in trade from last year's $13 billion.

Leaders of India and Asean will conclude a partnership document called the "India Asean Document for Peace, Progress and Shared Prosperity".

There was also a possibility of meetings with "Plus Three Countries" - China, Japan and South Korea -- but there was nothing definite, said Sikri.

The official also said there was a great interest in having greater connectivity between the countries.

The Asean members are Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

"There are plans to have connectivity by sea, and by air between India and Asean countries," said Sikri, agreeing with the description of India's northeast as a gateway to such links.

"We see great interest and demand for much better connectivity and tourism. Hotels, luxury tourism is very much in the realm of possibilities."

His remarks came even as External Affairs Minister K. Natwar Singh left for Laos Friday for the first ever India-Asean foreign ministers meeting Nov 27-28, which India sees as a sign of growing closeness between the two sides.

As per the agreement in the India-Asean business summit that Manmohan Singh attended just after he took charge in May, an Asean-India business council is to be set up.

Cooperation in counter terrorism measures will also come up in the meet, said Sikri.

As part of economic cooperation moves, special projects have been designated for CLMV (Cambodia Laos Malaysia Vietnam) countries such as entrepreneurship centres, highway constructions and a railway project.

"The first entrepreneurship centre will be inaugurated in (Manmohan Singh's) Laos visit," the foreign ministry official said.

The main summit will also coincide with the 3rd Asean Business Investment Summit in the Laotian capital Vientiane where 500 top industrialists from India, China, South Korea and the 10 member countries of the Asean are meeting.
 
The Indian contingent will also get a chance to meet the participants of the first India-Asean Car Rally that was flagged off from Guwahati by Manmohan Singh Nov 22.

Manmohan Singh is scheduled to flag off the second leg of the rally from Vientiane Nov 30 along with the representatives of its co-organisers, the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII). The rally culminates in Indonesia.

--Indo-Asian News Service