New Delhi (ANTARA News) - Indonesia and India will sign agreements on a number of industrial cooperation projects worth up to US$16.8 billion, Industry Minister MS Hidayat said.

The cooperation agreements between the government and private parties would be signed during President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono`s visit to India on January 24-26, he said at the Hotel Taj Palace here on Monday.

Hidayat said the projects still had to undergo feasibility studies but they had to be started this year.

"All of the projects must be started this year," he said.

He said one of the projects involves Indian big company Trimex Group which plans to build a coal-fueled ferterlizer plant worth US$1 billion in South Sumatra.

Trimex Group also intended to process iron sand in Papua into titanium and uranium for marketing again in Indonesia.

"As this is a new project it will be signed by the government in this case the ministry of industry to ensure its implementation. Only later will it be given to Indonesian companies," he said.

President Yudhoyono would be in India at the invitation of the Indian government to be a guest of honor at the celebration of India`s Republic Day on January 26.

On January 25 President Yudhoyono is scheduled to meet with a number of Indian business leaders such as Anil Ambani from the Ambani Group, Ratan Tata from the Tata Group, Prasad Konetu from the Trimex Group, Khrisna Reddy and Sanjay from GVK Group.

President Yudhoyono is also scheduled to meet 500 Indian businessmen grouped in the Association of Chambers, Confederation of India Industry and Federation of Indian Industry of India in a business forum.

The memorandum of understanding for business cooperation with a total investment of US$16.8 billion would be signed at the business forum.

The target of increasing the volume of trade between the two countries from US$4 billion in 2005 to US$10 billion in 2010 had been reached in 2008 which was two years earlier.

The volume of trade between the two countries is estimated to double by 2015 due to drastic increase in the bilateral cooperation between the two countries in all sectors.

At the bilateral meeting on January 25 16 memorandum of understanding in the fields of economy, politics, culture and technology are scheduled to be signed as of strategic partnership.

In the second visit since 2005 when the two countries signed the declaration for the establishment of strategic partnership President Yudhoyono was accompanied a number of cabinet ministers.(*)

Editor: Aditia Maruli Radja
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