India, Indonesia to expand defence ties

Vice President M. Hamid Ansari on his visit to Indonesia said that the two states have discussed possibilities of expanding cooperation in defence and counter-terrorism through intensification of existing mechanisms.

Vice President Ansari said that India and Indonesia shared several global and regional issues including climate change, maritime security and freedom of seas.

The Vice President thanked the Indonesian government for their support in organizing 'Sahabat India - The Festival of India in Indonesia' earlier this year. He said that Indonesia being the largest member of ASEAN, India wants its support to engage with ASEAN member States as part of India's Act East policy.

Answering a question from the media about collaboration between India and Indonesia in the field of non-conventional energy, the Vice President said that the two countries were keen to expand cooperation in the energy sector, including non-conventional energy sector and further details would be discussed during the Indonesian Energy minister's forthcoming visit to India.