<p>External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid will embark on a two-day visit to Iraq on June 19 during which he will hold talks with top Iraqi leadership on issues of mutual interest including import of oil.<br /><br /></p>.<p>Khurshid, the first senior Indian leader to visit the oil-rich Arab country in last 23 years, will meet his Iraqi counterpart Hoshiyar Zebari and discuss bilateral, regional and international issues of mutual interest.<br /><br />Khurshid is expected to discuss the issue of import of oil from Iraq, which has emerged as India's second largest crude oil supplier, replacing sanctions hit Iran.<br /><br />In recent years, India's import of oil from Iraq has seen a significant rise. Iraq has the world's third largest proven oil reserves.<br /><br />Till recently, Iran was India's second-biggest crude oil supplier after Saudi Arabia, meeting about 12 per cent of the country's needs.<br /><br />But India has reduced its dependence on Iranian oil in the wake of US and EU sanctions on the import of oil from the Islamic Republic.<br /><br />India imported about 13.3 million tonnes of crude oil from Iran in 2012-13 fiscal, down from 18.1 million tonnes shipped in the previous financial year.<br /><br />Early this month, the United States exempted India and eight other countries from financial sanctions for six-month for significantly reducing their dependence on Iranian oil.<br /><br />Khurshid is also expected to call on Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maliki, and Chairman ofCouncil of Representatives and Deputy Prime Minister of Iraq.<br /><br />India remains committed to support the ongoing post-war reconstruction and development efforts in Iraq, said a statement from the Ministry of External Affairs.<br /><br />This forthcoming visit is expected to add an impetus to our bilateral relations and elevate our ties to a higher level for the mutual benefit the people of India and Iraq, the statement added.<br /><br />Former External Affairs Minister I K Gujral, who later became the Prime Minister, had visited Iraq in 1990 in connection with the evacuation of Indians in the wake of Gulf war.</p>
<p>External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid will embark on a two-day visit to Iraq on June 19 during which he will hold talks with top Iraqi leadership on issues of mutual interest including import of oil.<br /><br /></p>.<p>Khurshid, the first senior Indian leader to visit the oil-rich Arab country in last 23 years, will meet his Iraqi counterpart Hoshiyar Zebari and discuss bilateral, regional and international issues of mutual interest.<br /><br />Khurshid is expected to discuss the issue of import of oil from Iraq, which has emerged as India's second largest crude oil supplier, replacing sanctions hit Iran.<br /><br />In recent years, India's import of oil from Iraq has seen a significant rise. Iraq has the world's third largest proven oil reserves.<br /><br />Till recently, Iran was India's second-biggest crude oil supplier after Saudi Arabia, meeting about 12 per cent of the country's needs.<br /><br />But India has reduced its dependence on Iranian oil in the wake of US and EU sanctions on the import of oil from the Islamic Republic.<br /><br />India imported about 13.3 million tonnes of crude oil from Iran in 2012-13 fiscal, down from 18.1 million tonnes shipped in the previous financial year.<br /><br />Early this month, the United States exempted India and eight other countries from financial sanctions for six-month for significantly reducing their dependence on Iranian oil.<br /><br />Khurshid is also expected to call on Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maliki, and Chairman ofCouncil of Representatives and Deputy Prime Minister of Iraq.<br /><br />India remains committed to support the ongoing post-war reconstruction and development efforts in Iraq, said a statement from the Ministry of External Affairs.<br /><br />This forthcoming visit is expected to add an impetus to our bilateral relations and elevate our ties to a higher level for the mutual benefit the people of India and Iraq, the statement added.<br /><br />Former External Affairs Minister I K Gujral, who later became the Prime Minister, had visited Iraq in 1990 in connection with the evacuation of Indians in the wake of Gulf war.</p>