India improves visa service for Indonesians

JAKARTA: India is issuing multiple-entry business visas to Indonesian businesspeople to encourage them to do business in India, Indian Ambassador to Indonesia Hemant Krishan Singh said in Jakarta.

"We are very liberal in issuing multiple entry business visas to businesspeople from Indonesia. These visas are valid for five years. For other Indonesian people, we will issue visas within 24 hours after the submission of application forms," Ambassador Singh said during a business lunch at the Four Seasons Hotel in Jakarta on Thursday.

India, according to Singh, does not have a visa-on-arrival system.

Indonesia recently extended the visa-on-arrival facility to Indian citizens.

The business lunch, which was attended by prominent Indonesian businessmen, officials and media people, was hosted in connection with the visit of India's West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee.

Bhattacharjee arrived in Jakarta on Wednesday with a delegation of businesspeople, officials and journalists on a three-day trip to introduce and promote his province to Indonesian businesspeople. -- JP