IRNA - Iranians residing in the city of Hyderabad in India warmly welcomed Iran's President Hassan Rouhani to their city on Thursday.

According to IRNA correspondent in Hyderabad , President Rouhani arrived in Hyderabad on Thursday to hold meetings with high ranking Indian officials and sign documents on Iran-India trade and commerce cooperation.

A large group of Iranians who live in the city gathered alongside the route of the President's motorcade to express their warm welcome to him.

They waved Iran's flags , sang Iranian national anthem and chanted slogans in favor of Iran-India relations.
President Rouhani's visit is taking place at the official invitation of the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi who also visited Iran last year.

The President is accompanied by Iranian ministers of foreign affairs Mohammad Javad Zarif, petroleum Bijan Zangeneh, road and urban development Mohammad Akhundi and industry Mohammad Shariatmadari.
A large delegation from Iranian private sector businessmen and trade people are also in India as part of the President's delegation.

Upon his arrival to the southern Indian city, Rouhani was welcomed by the Governor of Telangana state, Iranian Ambassador to India Gholamreza Ansari and Iran's Consul General in Hyderabad Mohammad Haqbin.

Rouhani is to sign about 15 documents in trade and economic sectors with Indian officials. The two sides will also issue a statements on political issues as well. Iran and India will also sign documents on consular services sector including easier visa issuance regulations.

While in Hyderabad, the President will meet with Muslim Ulema and deliver a speech to Friday prayers congregation on Friday.

On Saturday, he will travel to the capital New Delhi where he is to receive an official welcome by the highest ranking Indian officials.

He will meet and confer with Indian President Ram Nath Konvid, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Minister of External Affairs Sushma Swaraj.

He will also take part in an Iran-India economic gathering.

Iran and India, as two ancient and major civilizations, enjoy thousands of years of sound and solid friendly relations.

The relations between the two countries have especially flourished in recent years with India taking part in the development project of the Iranian port of Chabahar on Oman Sea coast which gives New Delhi access to Afghanistan and Central Asia markets and Europe as well.

India is also to contribute to construction of a railway project which will connect Chabahar at Oman Sea to the provincial capital of Zahedan.

Iran is a major supplier of India's oil demands.

A large community of ethnic Iranians who immigrated to the city through centuries mainly from the city of Yazd is present in Hyderabad. They are mainly engaged in trade.

Despite their long presence in India, they still maintain their original culture and language in a way that they speak their mother tongue with the dialect currently used in Yazd.