New Delhi, July 27 (IBNS) Indian investment in Indonesia is rising, said External Affairs Minister SM Krishna here on Friday.
"Our trade has expanded rapidly and has now touched 20 billion US Dollars. We are confident of achieving the target of $ 25 billion set for 2015," Krishna said in his opening remarks at the joint media interaction during the visit of Indonesia Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa to India.
"Indian investment in Indonesia is rising," he said.
"Today Foreign Minister Dr. Marty and I co-chaired the fourth meeting of the India-Indonesia Joint Commission. Prior to the Joint Commission Meeting, Foreign Minister Dr. Marty and I had very useful discussions on the current status of our bilateral relations and exchanged views on regional and international issues," he said.
"The Joint Commission meeting today enabled us to review the progress made on various areas of cooperation agreed during its last meeting and also those identified during the State visit of President Yudhoyono to India in January 2011.
"We have also identified specific areas in which both countries would be working together to take the relationship to the next high level. The deliberations took place in a constructive and friendly atmosphere reflecting the state of our bilateral relationship," said Krishna.
He said India and Indonesia enjoy an excellent relationship which rests on the solid foundation of their historical and cultural linkages. "We have much in common as two developing countries facing quite similar challenges."
"We became strategic partners in 2005. Indonesia is an important partner for us in our ‘Look East policy’."
"We are also cooperating in several other sectors including in energy, oil & gas, coal, marine and fisheries, agriculture, Science & Technology, education, culture, defence and counter-terrorism," said Krishna.
"As large pluralistic democracies we have a stake in each other's progress and prosperity. We would like our relationship to be reflective of the strategic nature of our partnership. Dr. Marty and I have agreed to work towards this objective."
"I have conveyed to Foreign Minister Dr. Marty that we look forward to the visit of his Excellency Mr. Yudhoyono, President of Indonesia to India in December this year for the India-ASEAN commemorative summit," said Krishna.
