"India is the largest exporter from South Asia with a total export value of some US$15 billion," Jokowi, as he is popularly known, said in a joint press statement with India`s Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, at the Merdeka Palace in Jakarta on Wednesday.
The number of Indian tourists to Indonesia had increased by 28 per cent with some 500,000 arrivals in 2017. The number of flights between Indonesia and India had risen to 28 a week. The President hailed the increased connectivity between the two countries through the Bali-Mumbai direct flight by the national flag carrier, Garuda Indonesia.
Both countries, he said, had agreed to develop an economic openness and discussions on a Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) could be finalised in 2018.
"Specifically I have asked Premier Modi to pay attention to the high tariff imposed on Indonesia`s palm oil products. He has agreed to study the problems that we conveyed," said Jokowi.
He also invited India to invest in the infrastructure sector, such as in port and airport development, and in the pharmaceutical sector, especially for medicines that could not yet be produced locally.
Data from the Central Bureau of Statistics showed that Indonesia-India trade in 2016 has reached US$12.9 billion, with total export value of $10.2 billion and import of $2.1 billion. In 2017, exports reached $14.08 billion and imports $4.05 billion.
Modi is in Indonesia from May 29 to 31. Both leaders visited the India-Indonesia Kites Exhibition held in Monas Square.
Modi also attended the Indonesia-India CEO Forum aimed at enhancing business cooperation between the two countries, and met the Indian diaspora.
Reporter: Bayu Prasetyo
Editor: Yosep Hariyadi
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