Indian chief of Naval Staff, aircraft carrier to visit Indonesia
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
In March this year, India organized the India Tech 2005 engineering exhibition in Jakarta. The new version of the bajaj (three-wheeled taxi) was the star attraction at that exhibition, which featured several other engineering products.
India -- Indonesia's maritime neighbor and a superpower in information technology -- is not only an expert in producing bajaj, which are very much visible on Jakarta streets, but can build more sophisticated things like ships, helicopters and planes as well as make missiles and even nuclear bombs.
This week, Indian aircraft career INS Viraat and four naval ships --the INS Rajput and the Ranjit (guided missile destroyers, the INS Shakti (replenishment ship) and the INS Khukri (indigenously built missile corvette) will come on a goodwill visit to Jakarta.
Indian Chief of Naval Staff Adm. Arun Prakash will arrive in Jakarta on Wednesday to strengthen defense cooperation between India and Indonesia.
The visit of the Indian fleet and Prakash is one of the many events organized this year to strengthen relations between Indonesia and India.
Viraat -- the flagship of the Indian fleet -- and its accompanying ships will arrive in Jakarta on Thursday and leave on Monday.
"This will be the first visit of an Indian aircraft carrier to Indonesia," Indian Embassy counselor Tirumurti told The Jakarta Post on Tuesday.
The Indian Embassy in Jakarta said in a press release that Viraat was carrying Sea Harrier fighter jets, Sea King helicopters, indigenously built advanced light helicopters and Chetak helicopters. The ship has 1,600 people onboard, including the air crew.
"We will have a mini defense exhibition onboard Viraat. Indonesian Air Force chief Marshal Djoko Soeyanto and Navy chief Adm. Slamet Soebijanto will visit both the Viraat as well the exhibition," Tirumurti said.
During his stay in Jakarta from July 27 to July 31, Adm. Prakash -- who is also chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee -- will meet Indonesian Vice President Jusuf Kalla, Minister of Defense Juwono Sudarsono, Indonesian Military Commander Gen. Endriartono Sutarto and Navy chief Adm. Slamet Soebijanto. He is scheduled to visit the Eastern Fleet Command and the Naval Academy in Surabaya.
When asked about the details of the Viraat, Indian Embassy defense attache Col. KS Choudhary said India bought the ship from the United Kingdom in 1986.
"Viraat is worth a couple of billion dollars. Every 10 years, her life will be expanded after refit. The last refit was done in 1999, which extended her serviceability up to 2010," Choudhary told the Post on Tuesday.
The noted Indian Navy Symphonic Orchestra will give a performance at the Gandhi Memorial International School on Saturday for the people in Jakarta.