INDONESIA, INDIA STEP UP BILATERAL TIES

by Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, May 30 (Antara) - Indonesia and India are currently moving ahead to intensify bilateral ties in various fields, including stepping up cooperation to the level of comprehensive strategic partnership and seeking realization of cooperation in concrete fields.          Efforts to increase cooperation in various fields are currently being discussed between the leaders of both countries amid the current visit of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Indonesia on May 29-31, 2018.           "Now is the time for Indonesia (and India) to establish a comprehensive strategic partnership. Comprehensive strategic partnership must include concrete cooperation that can only be formulated through increased engagement, including at the leaders' level," President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) remarked during a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Merdeka Palace in Jakarta on Wednesday.           President Jokowi received the Indian prime minister, who arrived at the Merdeka Palace at 10:15 a.m. local time.           In order to enhance cooperation, the two countries need to cement a comprehensive strategic partnership by working harder for a mutually beneficial relationship.

INDONESIA BETS ON INCREASED INVESTMENT FROM INDIA

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Nov 5 (Antara) - With Indian Vice President, Mohammad Hamid Ansari, visiting Indonesia to discuss the expansion of economic relations, hopes have risen that India will ramp up investment in the country.          Vice President Jusuf Kalla said this while addressing the visiting Indian dignitary and the accompanying business delegation at a business forum held in Jakarta on Tuesday, reiterating that Indonesia is the right place to invest.          "Similar to India, Indonesian businesses are now spreading across the world and the country is also a good place for India to invest," he stated at the Indonesia-India Business Forum.          He further noted that Indonesia is currently intensifying its efforts to build cooperation with developing countries in the world, and therefore, now is the right time to invest in the country.          In view of the several similarities existing between the two countries, he believed that bilateral cooperation would run smoothly.          Indonesia's eagerness to attract and increase more investment from India is also reflected in the statement issued by the Capital Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM).          The BKPM is committed to optimizing Indian investments in Indonesia. This is important, considering that Indian investment has risen by 44 percent during the January to September period this year, compared with the previous year.

INDIA, INDONESIA TO FOSTER CLOSER ECONOMIC RELATIONS

by Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Oct 28 (Antara) - India and Indonesia will further step up their trade and investment relations and boost cooperation in other sectors such as new energy and renewable energy development.          The two-way trade value between the two countries last year was recorded at US$19 billion while investment by Indian businesses in Indonesia stood at US$15 billion.          In order to increase the two countries' trade and investment relations, Indian Vice President Mohammad Hamid Ansari will be visiting Indonesia at the invitation of his Indonesian counterpart, Vice President Jusuf Kalla, early next month.          Ansari will bring along some 50 representatives of Indian businesses who are expected to help strengthen the bilateral economic relations.          "We will sign a number of memorandums of understanding (MoUs) during the (Vice President's) Indonesian visit. The most important of these is an MoU on cooperation in the new and renewable energy field," Indian Ambassador to Indonesia Gurjit Singh said in Jakarta on Wednesday.