PM Modi meets Indonesian President

Prime Minister Narendra Modi today met with Indonesian President Joko Widodo at the Merdeka Palace in Jakarta and hold informal discussion before their delegation-level talks.

Prime Minister Modi, who arrived here last night on his first-ever official visit to Indonesia, was accorded a red carpet welcome on his arrival at the Merdeka palace, one of the presidential palaces in Indonesia.

Before the tete-e-tete between the two leaders, President Widodo welcomed Prime Minister Modi at the palace.

"Relationship that evokes a feeling of warmth and kinship. A red carpet welcome and a guard of honour extended to PM @narendramodi on his arrival at Istana Merdeka ahead of his talks with President @jokowi," External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Raveesh Kumar tweeted.

Modi and Widodo would discuss bilateral cooperation in a broad range of areas, including maritime, trade and investment.

The two leaders would also attend some events, including a CEO Business Forum organised by the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and the Industry, and the Confederation of Indian Industry.

Earlier, Prime Minister Modi laid a wreath at the Kalibata National Heroes' Cemetery here.

"Paid tributes at the iconic Kalibata Heroes Cemetery in Jakarta," Modi tweeted in both Indonesian and English along with his pictures.

Kalibata Heroes' Cemetery in South Jakarta is a military cemetery in Indonesia. It was built in 1953 and opened in November 1954 when the first burial took place.

"Lest we forget...Paying homage to martyrs of Indonesian independence struggle! PM @narendramodi laying wreath at the Kalibata National Heroes' Cemetery and signing the Visitor's Book," Kumar tweeted.

More than 7,000 people who are military casualties and veterans from Indonesian War of Independence are buried at the cemetery.

Modi arrived in the Indonesian capital yesterday on the first leg of his three-nation tour to East Asia to cement the political, economic and strategic interest of the two friendly maritime neighbours.