Indonesia to Export Trains to Sri Lanka

President Jokowi meets with President of Sri Lanka in Nagoya, Japan (26/5).

On the first day of his working visit to Japan, President Joko ‘Jokowi’ Widodomet with President of Sri Lanka MaithripalaSirisena to discuss economic cooperation between the two countries, including Indonesia’s plan to export trains to Sri Lanka.

The meeting was held on Thursday (26/5) at Nagoya Kanko Hotel.

“Ties between Indonesia and Sri Lanka are very strong. The two countries also spearheaded the Asia Africa Conference and the Non-Alignment Movement. Both countries also share many similar stands of international issues. Those are the reasons why the countries hope to promote bilateral cooperation on the economic sector,” Indonesian Minister of Foreign Affairs RetnoMarsudi said to reporters after the meeting.

During the meeting, President Jokowi also expressed Indonesia’s interest to participate in Sri Lanka’s development, especially in the procurement of trains, Retno said.

“PT INKA has stated its intention to cooperate with Sri Lanka and President Jokowi said that Indonesia is ready to cooperate to develop train services in Sri Lanka,” Retno stated.

PT. INKA (IndustriKeretaApi) is a train manufacturer owned by the Indonesian Government, located in Madiun, East Java. The company has supplied train cars to several other countries, including Malaysia and Thailand as well as train components to Australia.

In the meantime, President Jokowi also said that Indonesia hopes for the support from Sri Lanka for the initiative to produce the IORA Concord, Retno added.

Indonesia is the current Chairman of the IORA (Indian Ocean Rim Association) for 2015-2017 and along with other IORA member countries, Indonesia is now taking an initiative to producethe IORA Concord.
The IORA Concord is aimed at concrete economic cooperation among the Indian Ocean Rim countries, which include Indonesia and Sri Lanka.

“We’ve discussed the Concord since Indonesia hosted a ministerial meeting of the IORA in Padang three years ago. Several days ago, we also had a senior official meeting to further discuss theConcord. We will very much appreciate if Sri Lanka as a member can support Indonesia inthe discussion on the Concord,” Retno added.

The Sri Lankan Government also hopes for a direct flight from Jakarta to Colombo, the capital, and the plan would be discussed and followed-up by Indonesian Minister of Transportation, Retno further said.

Accompanying the President during the meeting were Minister of Foreign Affairs RetnoMarsudi, Minister of State Secretary Pratikno, Minister of National Development Planning /Head of the National Development Planning Agency SofyanDjalil, and Chairman of the Financial Services Authority Muliaman M. Hadad. (DAN/SKM/ES)(EP/YM/Naster)