Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee said the night of November 11 that the coming Durban summit of the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting (CHOGM) will focus on steps to meet the challenge to democracy and in fighting terrorism.

In his statement before departure for Durban, South Africa, he said, "Our interaction will focus on measures to meet the challenge to democracy and in fighting against terrorism."

Besides Pakistan's suspension from the Commonwealth, cross-border terrorism and global political and economic development will top the agenda of the four-day summit, which opens Friday.

Vajpayee is scheduled to leave for Durban later Thursday night. This will be the first foreign travel by the Indian prime minister after the National Democratic Alliance won the 13th Lok Sabha (lower house) elections.

External Affairs Minister Jaswant Singh and Finance Minister Yashwant Sinha, who are also members of the Indian delegation, are already in Durban.