President of Indonesia, Joko Widodoi Visits India to Enhance Strategic Partnership

President of Indonesia, Mr. Joko Widodoi was on a three day visit to India from December 11-December 13, 2016, at the invitation of Prime Minister of India, Mr. Narendra Modi.

• Jokowi was accompanied by his spouse, Iriana Widodo, several cabinet ministers, senior officials and a 22-member very high level business delegation from Indonesia.
• This was the first visit of President Joko Widodo to India after coming to power in October 2014.
• Arriving to India on December 11, 2016, Mr. Widodo was received at the Air Force Station, Palam, New Delhi by the central Minister of State  for Environment, Forest and Climate Change (Independent Charge), Anil Madhav Dave.
• President of India, Shri Pranab Mukherjee hosted a meeting on December 12, 2016, at Rashtrapati Bhawan followed by State Banquet for the visiting President Joko Widodo and his delegation.
• Besides, Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi and President Joko Widodo also held extensive talks on bilateral, regional and global issues of mutual interest on December 12, 2016. Foreign President also met the Vice President of India Shri M. Hamid Ansari, who had visited Indonesia in November 2015.
• India and Indonesia has been sharing historical harmony and close cultural ties since long. Indonesia is a strategic partner of India since 2005 and an important trade partner in ASEAN.
• Indonesia is the largest direct trade partner of India in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) (about US$ 16 billion two way trade).
• President Widodo invited Prime Minister Modi to visit Indonesia as soon as possible, which the Indian Prime Minister readily accepted.

India and Indonesia signs Three Agreements to enhance Strategic Partnership

After delegation level talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and visiting President of Indonesia Joko Widodo in New Delhi, on December 12, 2016, India and Indonesia signed three agreements in various areas to enhance strategic partnership.

The Agreements Signed Includes:
i.MoU on Youth Affairs and Sports Cooperation.
ii.MoU on Standardization Cooperation.
iii.Joint Communiqué on on Ilegal and Unauthorised Fishing.

The agreement aimed to build a strong economic and development partnership to strengthen the flow of trade, capital and people between the two countries.

• Apart from the three agreements, both the countries also agreed to cooperate in defence and maritime security to ensure safety and security of sea lanes, disaster response and environmental protection
• The two countries agreed to increase the partnership for combating terrorism, organized crime, drugs and human trafficking.
• An early implementation of India-ASEAN Free Trade Agreement in Services and investment, and finalization of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership was also agreed.
• Besides, both the sides decided to speed up setting up of Chairs of Indian and Indonesian Studies in each other’s universities to encourage research on historical linkages and also agreed to enhance their scholarship and training programmes.

Garuda Indonesia Starts Service to Provide Direct Air Connectivity Between India and Indonesia

To improve direct connectivity between India and Indonesia, Indonesian airlines ‘Garuda Indonesia’, commenced direct flights from Jakarta to Mumbai on December 12, 2016.

• The non-stop maiden flight from the Indonesia’s capital city, Jakarta, will touch down at Mumbai’s Chhtrapati Shivaji International Airport.
• Initially, the flight will be for three day per week and later would be made daily.

Indonesia

• Capital: Jakarta
• Currency: Indonesian rupiah