"The more harmony there is in ASEAN."Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The close cooperation between Indonesia and India is expected to become a trendsetter for the developing world, said the newly appointed Indian ambassador to Indonesia, Gujrit Singh.
"India and Indonesia have worked together to achieve their own targets and become trendsetters for the developing world; we always have a common goal, and we believe that there should be greater equality in the international world," Singh remarked.
According to the Indian ambassador, Indonesia and India should work together in almost all international sectors to bring equality to the world.
"So whether it`s in the United Nations (UN) or in newly emerging areas, such as the India-ASEAN cooperation or other forms of cooperation, I think that India-Indonesia have found that they are on the same stage regarding world issues," Singh observed.
He added that ASEAN is one of the most hardworking and well-organised regional organisations in the world, comprising a group of countries wherein Indonesia has played the role of a pioneer.
"The more harmony there is in ASEAN, I think the more the business India can do in a more unified region," Singh declared.
The ambassador explained that Indonesia and India have set a trade target of US$25 billion by 2015. Since the value of this year`s trade has reached US$20 billion, Singh pointed out that both countries need to do more in order to realise the target.
"Greater investment will eventually boost the trade value between Indonesia and India," he asserted.
Singh expressed India`s interest in assisting Indonesia to realise its target of producing more value-added goods in the future.
"I think that the development of business potential requires greater investment and the development of services," he stated.
Before his appointment as India`s ambassador to Indonesia, Singh was heading the East and Southern Africa Division in India`s Ministry of External Affairs.
Singh has studied at Mayo College in Ajmer and St. Xavier`s College in Kolkata; he completed his post-graduation in International Studies at JNU.
Appointed to the Indian Foreign Service in 1980, he has served in the Indian missions in Tokyo (twice), Colombo, Nairobi and Rome. He has been India`s ambassador to Ethiopia and Djibouti as well as India`s representative in the African Union.
He is proficient in Japanese and published "The Abalone Factor: An Overview of India-Japan Business Relations" in 1997, which won him the Bimal Sanyal Award for Research by a Foreign Service Officer.
His paper titled "India and Africa: A Response to African Institutionalism in the 21st Century" was published in November 2006 in the book "Indian Foreign Policy: Challenges and Opportunities."
(T.A050/INE/KR-BSR/O001)
Editor: Priyambodo RH
Copyright © ANTARA 2012
