Brazil's Celso Amorim said after talks with his counterparts in New Delhi that the nations agreed to raise trade flows 50 percent by the end of the decade from around 10 billion dollars now.

"We have set the challenge to bring our mutual trade to around 15 billion dollars by 2010," Amorim told reporters following the fifth meeting of the countries dubbed IBSA since 2003.

Amorim also called for more contact between India and the South American trade bloc known as Mercosur and the five-member South African Customs Union.

Such a combination would form "the largest economic space in the developing world," Amorim added.

South African Foreign Minister Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma described IBSA as a "unique forum" that needed to focus on increasing transport and connectivity to boost trade.

"I think we should keep together wherever we are," Zuma said seeking a common position among the three nations.

The foreign ministers confirmed South Africa would host the second summit of leaders from their countries in October. The first meeting of the heads of government was hosted by Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva in September.

Mukherjee added that IBSA had identified energy as a key component of cooperation adding it was seeking expertise to develop alternative fuel from Brazil, which taps into its huge sugar cane production to produce ethanol for cars.

A joint statement also called for an expansion of the UN Security Council to make the institution more "democratic" and "representative."

The countries also urged the 150-member World Trade Organisation (WTO) to try and resolve a deadlock linked mainly to farm subidies paid by rich countries and import barriers in "the agricultural sector, which is of utmost relevance for the well-being of our most vulnerable populations.

"In particular, agreement has to be reached to eliminate trade distortions specially those limiting access to the developed markets," the foreign ministers said in a statement.

The remarks follow the failure of talks in Germany among the European Union, the United States, Brazil and India on June 21 to relaunch the near six year-old talks on reducing barriers to commerce.

In an interview to the Hindu newspaper published Tuesday, Amorim said the best way to arrest poverty and the growth of terrorism "is a trade deal that is really development friendly."

"I still think the the WTO is important," he said adding "the WTO continues to be essential. It is the only multilateral trade body there is."