'India-Indonesia trade ties growing at steady pace'

, May 26: Indonesian Ambassador Andi M Ghalib on Saturday said that

ties between his country and India were growing at a steady pace and could reach USD 45 billion mark by 2015. "I hope that the volume of business between the two countries will reach USD 45 billion by 2015," the Ambassador who had come here for an event told mediapersons.

The volume of trade between the two countries last year was about USD 14 billion. Ghalib said that an indication of the warm ties between the two countries came when the Indonesian President was invited to be the chief guest at the Republic Day parade last year. He said a lot of work has been done to encourage Hinduism in his country and pointed out that Indonesia's national airlines is known as Garuda Airlines, named after Garuda, a character from Hindu mythology.

The Ambassador said that more than 30 MoUs had been signed between India and Indonesia. He said that the economic growth rate of both India and Indonesia was almost similar.

PTI