LAHORE, Nov 9: Indian Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal along with his 45-member delegation left for India through Wagah border on Friday.

Punjab Assembly Speaker Rana Iqbal and MPA Zaeem Qadri saw off the delegation after a smartly-dressed contingent of the Punjab Police presented them a guard of honour.

Talking to newsmen, Badal termed his visit successful saying very good beginnings of friendship started between both the countries and hoped a visible progress in Pakistan-India relations would be seen in the next four months.

He said Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif had set up a committee for strengthening trade and cultural ties between the two Punjabs, while an invitation had been extended to Mr Sharif to visit Punjab on the other side of the border next month. The invitation, he said, had been accepted. He said a proposal for opening consulate offices of both the countries in Amritsar and Lahore was also under consideration.

Earlier, Mr Badal called on PML-N Chief Nawaz Sharif.