Port Blair to host India-Indonesia Business Forum

India and Indonesia will hold a business forum to facilitate the commercial and people-to-people linkages between the Andaman and Nicobar Islands with Aceh and North Sumatra Provinces of Indonesia on November 29 in Port Blair, the Indian Embassy here said.

A 30-member delegation consisting of members of Chamber of Commerce of Aceh, state and local enterprises, shipping and logistics companies, academics, media and officials of Foreign Ministries of both countries are to attend the India Indonesia Business Forum (IIBF).

It will also be attended by the members of Andaman Chamber of Commerce and officials of Andaman and Nicobar Administration, the statement said.

This edition of IIBF is a step forward in the continuing engagements between Aceh and Andaman, which have commenced since July 2018, when the 1st Business Forum was held in Aceh, said the embassy.

A team of 3 researchers from Aceh also visited Andaman from November 23 to 28 to further explore the benefits and potential of enhancing physical connectivity between Andaman & Nicobar and Aceh.

The preliminary research done by academic institutions in Indonesia have identified the potential and opportunities for economic cooperation that can be developed between Aceh & North Sumatra and Andaman-Nicobar.

The areas include tourism, especially cruise tourism and eco-tourism, air transport connectivity and sea transportation in the form of RoRo vessel shipping to facilitate trade between the two regions (supply of commodity) among others.

A Memorandum of Understanding between Chamber of Commerce of Aceh and Andaman Chamber of Commerce and Industry is currently under consideration and is expected to be agreed upon and signed during the visit, the statement said.