Speaking at an inter-active session at the Indian Chamber of Commerce (ICC) on Tuesday, the Indonesian ambassador to India, Lt General (retd) Andi Ghalib, said that the Prime Minister of India Manmohan Singh and the President of Indonesia, Sushilo Bambang Yudhoyono, had signed an agreement in New Delhi early last year worth billions of US dollars with the objective of strengthening bilateral business ties between the two countries. The Indonesian President was th
Sponsored Link: Indian Web Developer, Online Brand Developer, B2B Portal India, Career News India, Discounted Travel Packeges
Special Guest at the Indian Republic Day ceremony in New Delhi last year.

Indonesia is India's second largest market in Asean (barring Singapore) for a variety of items including refined petroleum products, wheat, rice, steel, palm oil, iron and steel. 

The ambassador said that both India and Indonesia have weathered the global financial crisis and have entered a new era of economic relationship. Both the countries are bound to emerge as major partners within the next decade in the global market, he said. General Ghalib invited Indian investors to Indonesia and promised all assistance from his government to start business. There is wide scope in the field of tourism in Indonesia, including the Island of Bali which has ancient cultural relations with India. 

The ambassador announced at the meeting two major events which will be held in Indonesia in October and December this year. He requested the Indian Chamber of Commerce to lead the business delegations to the "26th Trade Expo Indonesia" to be held in October 2011 in Jakarta and expressed the hope that Indian visitors would be able to acquaint themselves to the largest annual B-to-B event in Indonesia for furniture, footwear, electronics, rubber, jewelry, herbals, chemicals, food products etc. A CEOs' conference will be held in December 2011. 

Earlier, the newly appointed honorary consul general for Indonesia in Calcutta, M K Saharia dwelt on the age-old relations between the two countries and stressed the need to revive cultural ties. The ICC vice-president Rajiv Mundra also spoke on the occasion.