New Delhi, Sep 14 (IANS): India's Minister of State for External Affairs V. Muraleedharan will be visiting Algeria from September 15 to 17, an official statement said.

During his visit, he will call on Algerian Prime Minister Aymen Benabderrahmane and also to hold talks with his counterpart Ramtane Lamamra.

Diplomatic relations between India and Algeria were established in July 1962, the year the north African country gained independence from French colonial rule.

Both nations are part of the Non-Aligned Movement. As a member of the African Union, Algeria supports India's candidacy for a permanent seat in a reformed Security Council.

There has been regular high level exchange of visits by the leaders of the two countries. Both countries have been supporting each other on vital issues at bilateral and multilateral levels.

India provided Algeria with $1 million humanitarian aid following the May 2003 earthquake. The Indian Space Research Organisation launched Algerian satellite Alsat 2A into orbit in July 2010.

India's public sector companies Engineers India Ltd, IRCON International Ltd and Telecommunications Consultants of India (TCIL) have been executing projects related to their respective fields in Algeria while private companies like Larsen and Toubro (L&T), KEC International and Kalpataru are executing their power transmission projects there. Apart from these companies, power equipment manufacturer Vijay Electricals, Dodsal Engineering, construction company Shapoorji Pallonji, pharmaceutical companies like Zydus Cadila, Dabur, Sun Pharma, Cipla, and Hetro Drugs are present there.

The Indian diaspora in Algeria is miniscule, comprising around 5,700 Indians working in various projects and establishments, and a handful of Indians in Algiers including some country heads of companies. There are nine Overseas Citizens of India and 10 Persons of Indian Origin.