Pranab for defence ties with S'pore, Indonesia

New Delhi, June 17: External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee begins his four-day visit to Indonesia and Singapore tomorrow to strengthen economic ties and cooperation in IT, tourism and defence and security matters as part of India's Look-East Policy. In Singapore, Mr Mukherjee will launch Indian Business Forum.

He would also release a book -- The 12th volume of Chalo Delli -- the collected works of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose.

During his two-day stay at Jakarta on June 17 and 18 he will co-chair the third India-Indonesia Joint Commission meeting along with his Indonesia counterpart Mr Wirajuda.

The meeting will cover areas such economic and trade relations, pharmaceuticals, health, banking, investment, industrial cooperation, agriculture, tourism, culture science and technology, space technology, IT, consular issues and defence and security matters, External Affairs Ministry spokesman Navtej Sarna said.

The possible areas of cooperation in defence could include training, supply and repairs and spears.

The Indonesian Parliament has ratified the defence cooperation agreement signed by the two countries on January 2001.

''The Joint Commission meeting will help to revive the progress across the range of objectives in the bilateral relation in the next two years,'' Mr Sarna said.

In the last leg of his visit, Mr Mukherjee will meet the Singapore Foreign Minister and also call on the President and senior minister Goh Chok Tong.

He will also call on the Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister.

The launch of the Indian Business Forum will help in taking the bilateral relations to a new level, the spokesperson said.

There are 2,500 Indian companies functioning in Singapore, making them the 4th largest foreign presence in that country.

At present, Singapore is among India's top five trade and investment partners.

There is also considerable convergence on security and defence issues between the two countries.

On the other hand, Indonesia is India's third largest trade partner in ASEAN with the trade figures at 4.79 billion dollar in 2006, a 22 per cent increase over the previous year.

The target is 10 billion dollar in 2010. It was set by the Second Joint Commission held in New Delhi in March 2005.

UNI