Infrastructure, energy key to India-Indonesia cooperation: Hamid Ansari

Vice-President Hamid Ansari on Tuesday said that infrastructure development and energy security are key areas for cooperation between India and Indonesia, adding that these sectors allow both countries to collaborate and benefit from each other's expertise.

Speaking at India-Indonesia Business Forum in Jakarta, the Vice-President said that the impetus given by the government towards infrastructure development has created massive opportunities for foreign partners in the Indian economy.

"Infrastructure stimulation programmes launched by the Government of India, like the mission to develop 100 Smart Cities, upgrade infrastructure development in urban and rural areas and enhance nationwide connectivity through the 'Digital India' programme, have created massive opportunities for foreign partners in the Indian economy," he said.

"Our societies are still largely agrarian. Therefore, agricultural industry, food processing and related small and medium enterprises offer opportunities for trade and investment which could be explored by our business houses with the support from the governments," he added.

Vice-President Ansari further said that India's expertise and proven capabilities in production of pharmaceuticals, especially generic medicines at affordable cost, advancement in healthcare sectors and science and technology, high quality education at reasonable cost could also be potential areas of investments by both sides.

Vice President Ansari arrived here for his five-day two-nation official visit to Indonesia and Brunei on Sunday.

Indonesia is the first stopover for the Vice President, who is there at the invitation of his Indonesian counterpart Jusuf Kalla.