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Ranchi, Jan 12 (IANS) Paddy procurement at government centres in many districts of Jharkhand has come to a standstill, leaving thousands of farmers returning empty-handed daily.

This crisis has arisen due to storage issues at PACS (Primary Agricultural Credit Societies) and LAMPS (Large Area Multi-Purpose Societies). Overloaded warehouses are unable to accommodate more paddy, as rice millers have not been lifting stock from these centres.

Additionally, server downtime and technical glitches have further slowed the procurement process in some areas.

In districts such as Dhanbad, Hazaribagh, Garhwa, Chaibasa, Chatra, Ramgarh, Ranchi, Jamtara, Giridih, Latehar, Godda, Pakur, Deoghar, Sahibganj, Gumla, and Khunti, only 8 to 40 per cent of the targeted paddy has been purchased so far.

The Joint Secretary of the Food Supply, Public Distribution, and Consumer Affairs Department recently expressed concern in a letter to the Deputy Commissioners of 12 districts, urging immediate action to address the slow pace of procurement in the state.

In Hazaribagh, most PACS and LAMPS have stopped purchasing due to full warehouses.

BJP MLA Manoj Kumar Yadav, representing Barhi Assembly constituency, raised the issue in a letter to Chief Minister Hemant Soren. He highlighted that paddy procurement in the district has been halted for nearly a month, allowing middlemen to exploit the situation by purchasing paddy from farmers at prices far below the government rate.

Government centres offer a fixed rate of Rs 2,400 per quintal (including bonuses) for paddy. However, middlemen are reportedly paying Rs 1,800 to Rs 1,900 per quintal, further distressing farmers.

The Jharkhand government had set up 699 paddy procurement centres across the state, starting operations on December 15. The target for this year is to procure 60 lakh quintals of paddy. Despite over 2.4 lakh farmers registering to sell their produce, procurement has been halted at many centres.

This year, the government estimated a total paddy production of 41.38 lakh tonnes, cultivated over 15.48 lakh hectares. In comparison, the state produced 32.10 lakh tonnes in 2023.

Immediate intervention is required to resolve storage and logistical challenges, ensuring fair procurement for farmers and preventing further exploitation by middlemen.

--IANS

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New Delhi, Jan 12 (IANS) Union Minister for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Rajiv Ranjan Singh, is set to inaugurate 40 livestock projects worth more than Rs 545 crore on Monday.

The Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying is organising an ‘Entrepreneurship Development Conclave’ in Pune where the Union Minister will be the Chief Guest, it was announced on Sunday.

The objective of the event is to unite policymakers, federations, cooperatives, industry associations, entrepreneurs and financial institutions to unlock the potential of the livestock sector.

“It provides a platform to the stakeholders to discuss challenges, share solutions, promote entrepreneurship, provide value addition and sustainable practices to catalyse growth for the sector,” said the ministry.

The government is implementing flagship schemes such as the Animal Husbandry Infrastructure Development Fund (AHIDF) with an outlay of Rs 29,110.25 crore and National Livestock Mission (NLM) with an outlay of Rs 2,300 crore.

“By showcasing opportunities under NLM and AHIDF, the conclave seeks to drive inclusive growth and empower rural farmers and small enterprises,” the ministry informed.

The conclave will also entail the inauguration of the National Livestock Mission - Entrepreneurship Development Programme (NLM - EDP) Dashboard that provides an organised summary of key information of the entire project to the public.

The event will also see the release of National Livestock Mission Operational Guidelines 2.0 and success story booklets.

The conclave will also have panel discussions that will witness participation from government, industry leaders along with financial institutions, banks, cooperatives, and representatives from federations and industry associations.

The Cabinet-approved National Mission on Natural Farming (NMNF) scheme also marks a transformative shift in Indian agriculture.

The scheme has a total outlay of Rs 2,481 crore of which the government of India's share is Rs 1,584 crore while the state share is Rs 897 crore, till the 15th Finance Commission (2025-26).

The government has launched the NMNF to promote natural farming in a mission mode across the country under the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare.

—IANS

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Srinagar, Jan 12 (IANS) The Jammu and Kashmir Police said on Sunday that over 100 bank accounts linked to drug peddlers have been frozen in the Srinagar district.

A police statement said, "Srinagar Police have intensified financial investigations into multiple narcotic smuggling cases leading to the freezing of more than 100 bank accounts linked to drug traffickers."

The seized accounts collectively contain deposits amounting to several lakhs of rupees, the police said, adding that all transactions associated with the accounts are under detailed scrutiny to trace the flow of illicit funds.

The police said that the freezing of these accounts has effectively blocked access to financial resources used by drug trafficking networks.

The accused have been arrested in connection with cases registered under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act in Srinagar District.

Those apprehended have been involved in the trafficking of narcotics and psychotropic substances, posing a significant threat to the community, particularly the youth.

"Comprehensive investigations, conducted under the relevant provisions of the NDPS Act, have led to the freezing of these bank accounts containing substantial sums, prima-facie identified as proceeds of illegal narcotics trade. Furthermore, moveable and immovable properties valued at crores of rupees, found to be acquired through these illicit activities, have been attached under the applicable legal framework," it said.

"This action has been set into motion under Section 68F(2) of the NDPS Act. Jammu and Kashmir Police remain steadfast in its commitment to combating the menace of drug abuse and trafficking," the statement said.

The police asked the public to join hands in fighting the drug menace by providing any information related to drug peddling or drug abuse.

The police requested the public to contact their nearest police station or dial 112 to report drug-related suspicious activities.

--IANS

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Chennai, Jan 12 (IANS) Tamil Nadu Governor R.N. Ravi on Sunday criticised Chief Minister M.K. Stalin over his ‘chlidish’ jibe, saying the latter’s arrogance was not appropriate.

The Tamil Nadu Raj Bhavan, in a post on the social media platform X, said: “Stalin asserts that insisting on due respect for the National Anthem and performing the fundamental duties enshrined in the Constitution is ‘absurd’ and ‘childish.’ Thanks for betraying the true intentions of the coalition of interests and ideologies to which he is a leader that does not accept or respect Bharat as a nation and Her Constitution.”

“Such arrogance is not good. Please do not forget that Bharat is the supreme Mother, and the Constitution is the supreme faith for her children. They will not like or tolerate such brazen insults,” Governor R.N. Ravi added.

The Governor’s response came a day after Chief Minister Stalin criticised him, calling his decision to skip the customary Assembly address “childish.” The controversy began on January 6 when Governor R.N. Ravi walked out of the Tamil Nadu Assembly without delivering the customary inaugural address.

According to the Raj Bhavan, the Governor left “in deep anguish” because the National Anthem was not played.

In his rebuttal during the debate on the motion of thanks to the Governor’s address, Stalin alleged that Ravi’s actions stemmed from his inability to “digest” Tamil Nadu’s progress.

He remarked: “The Tamil Nadu Assembly has been witnessing strange scenes ever since Ravi assumed office as Governor. In 2022, he delivered his address without altering the speech, but in the following years, he avoided the customary address, citing absurd reasons.”

Stalin further stated, “I may be an ordinary person, but this Legislative Assembly came into existence because of the aspirations of crores of people. I believe the Governor cannot tolerate the state’s development.”

--IANS

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New Delhi, Jan 12 (IANS) As the BJP and AAP's aggressive campaigning for the February 5 Delhi Assembly election takes centre stage, the Congress suddenly appears to have run out of steam, rather it has held back its horses. This is intriguing given the fact that this election presents the right opportunity for the grand old party to bounce back in the national capital.

The Congress has been almost wiped out in Delhi as it has failed to win any seat in the last two Assembly polls and the Lok Sabha elections from Delhi.

However, this time there is significant scope for the Congress party as AAP has been engulfed in corruption cases, and its top leadership is on bail after being arrested on various charges. AAP's stint of five years since 2020 has been riddled with controversies and charges of no development. The national capital has witnessed significant political drama and theatrics, leaving people confused about AAP's goals, credibility, and practicality. It is here where the Congress party could have pushed itself into AAP's territories and reclaim its lost space. The BJP, in any case for both of them, is the enemy.

Even though the Congress has finally listed Rahul Gandhi to begin its campaign with a rally in Seelampur to be followed by Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and party chief Mallikarjun Kharge, the initial aggression shown by the Delhi leaders has gone missing. The steam seems to have been taken out after Arvind Kejriwal's Aam Aadmi Party raised a stick.

It all started when veteran leader Ajay Maken launched a frontal attack on Kejriwal while releasing a White Paper on the "black deeds" of both the AAP government and the BJP-led Central government. He declared plans to reveal alleged 'anti-national' links between the AAP chief and certain outfits and even described Kejriwal as 'Farziwal'. The press conference was scheduled for a later date. However, Maken's press conference was postponed. Congress said it was delayed as they needed to get "some documents". Eventually, the press conference was cancelled and may not happen at all.

The reason is that AAP red-flagged Ajay Maken's statement. AAP put the Congress on notice over Maken's "anti-national" barb at Kejriwal and asked the party to take action against him or else it would approach INDIA bloc allies to "drop" the party from the Opposition bloc. AAP was also miffed by the Congress lodging a complaint against Kejriwal, accusing him of "misleading and deceiving" the people with promises of "non-existent" welfare schemes.

Apparently, the INDIA bloc back channels worked for Kejriwal and played a part in persuading the Congress top guns not to escalate its attacks on Kejriwal. Most of the Congress allies in the opposition bloc soon came out in support of Kejriwal. The rallying for the AAP chief in the bloc perhaps did the work and the Congress leashed its veteran leader Maken.

Maken, who had been at the forefront of the party's Delhi campaign has gone quiet. An unexpected twist occurred when the Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister announced the 'Pyari Didi Yojana', a scheme promising Rs 2,500 in monthly assistance to women in Delhi if the party comes to power. Why should the Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister launch the scheme and not the party's top leadership, including Priyanka Gandhi, is a question that reflects the confusion that is prevailing in the party.

By going weak before the AAP, the Congress party seems to have given up on the fight. It has left the battle to be fought by individual leaders at the local level. It may or may not be able to fetch big numbers in the Assembly. Even if it gets a few, the party will rejoice as it has been scoring zero in the past two Assembly elections.

The fight between the AAP and the Congress party is largely for the minority Muslims and the marginalised, especially the Dalits. Muslim voters constitute almost 12 per cent of Delhi's population and Dalits make up around 17 per cent of the voters. Both were the Congress' trusted vote bank which later shifted to after 2013. Perhaps, this may be the reason that Rahul Gandhi is beginning his campaign from Seelampur which has a sizeable Muslim population.

The Congress may or may not win a seat or seats in the Delhi Assembly, it, however, has exposed its weakness in the INDIA bloc before its allies – both national and regional. Its not-so-proactiveness will go a long way to further dent its image, especially that of Rahul Gandhi. The grand old party has this one chance to strengthen itself in the national capital where it has seen a drastic decline in vote share in comparison to AAP’s meteoric rise. The Congress' vote share in Delhi has declined drastically over the years, dropping from 40.31 per cent in 2008 to 24.55 per cent in 2013, 9.7 per cent in 2015, and a mere 4.26 per cent in 2020.

Since Delhi's Legislative Assembly was established in 1993, the BJP came to power once The Congress ruled Delhi for three consecutive terms from 1998 to 2013. And after that, the AAP has been in power. With anti-incumbency and the plethora of cases against the ruling AAP leaders, the Congress has the perfect pitch laid to rise and better its position in Delhi’s electoral battle.

However, with AAP raising its stick and INDIA bloc allies siding with Kejriwal, the Congress seems to be in dilemma at how far to push its ally AAP. If the dilemma continues, the odds could weigh heavily on Congress.

(Deepika Bhan can be contacted at deepika.b@ians.in)

--IANS

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Chennai, Jan 12 (IANS) The Tamil Nadu BJP has demanded an unconditional apology from Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin for allegedly reneging on his promise to abolish the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET).

BJP state secretary S.G. Suryah accused Udhayanidhi Stalin of “shamelessly lying” to the people of Tamil Nadu during the 2021 Assembly election campaign. He stated that Udhayanidhi had assured voters that abolishing NEET would be the DMK government’s priority.

In a statement issued on Sunday, Suryah said, “Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin made a promise to the people of Tamil Nadu that his first signature as a minister would abolish NEET. However, he has failed to deliver on that promise.”

The BJP leader called for an unconditional apology from Udhayanidhi for what he termed a blatant “U-turn” on the issue. He also clarified that the central government has no role in implementing NEET, as it is a directive of the Supreme Court.

Suryah welcomed a recent statement by Vijay, actor-turned-politician and president of the Tamilaga Vettai Kazhagam (TVK), who criticised the DMK government for failing to abolish NEET.

In a social media post on Saturday, Vijay accused the DMK of deceiving the people with false promises. He pointed out that Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin has now admitted that only the Union government has the authority to scrap NEET. Vijay said, “This is a significant social and political issue for Tamil Nadu. During the 2021 Assembly elections, the DMK promised to abolish NEET if returned to power. However, they knew fully well that this decision could only be taken by the central government.”

Vijay further alleged that the DMK made these assurances purely to garner votes and criticized the ruling party for not fulfilling its promises after coming to power. He said, “How long will they deceive us in our own country?”

The TVK leader also highlighted that NEET was a major campaign issue in 2021. “The DMK promised to cancel the exam, claiming they had a plan to do so. Now they admit only the central government can abolish NEET. Isn’t this a betrayal of the people who voted for them?” Vijay remarked.

In a statement on Friday, Chief Minister M.K. Stalin told the Tamil Nadu Assembly that NEET would have been abolished if the INDIA alliance had captured power at the Centre. However, he acknowledged that only the Central government has the authority to scrap the exam.

CM Stalin also reminded Opposition leader Edappadi K. Palaniswami that during the regimes of Karunanidhi and J. Jayalalithaa, NEET was not there. He argued that the exam was introduced only during the tenure of Palaniswami’s government.

S.G. Suryah further stated, “If anyone wants to get away from NEET, they should approach the Supreme Court, not the Central government.”

--IANS

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Bhubaneswar, Jan 12 (IANS) Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Sunday launched premium bus services from four cities -- Puri, Sambalpur, Bhawanipatna and Berhampur -- for Ayodhya via Varanasi and Prayagraj in Uttar Pradesh for the Maha Kumbh Mela.

The special pilgrim buses to the holy places have been started by the Odisha State Road Transport Corporation (OSRTC), the state-owned public transport operator, under the Transport & Commerce Department of Odisha.

More than 200 devotees from different parts of Odisha on Sunday left for the Maha Kumbh Mela on these special buses equipped with all advanced amenities.

Speaking on the occasion, CM Majhi said that Ardha Kumbha is held every six years while the Purna Kumbha is observed every 12 years at Prayagraj. However, the Maha Kumbh Mela is going to be celebrated at the Prayagraj this year after a gap of 144 years.

The Maha Kumbh Mela is going to be held at Prayagraj in Uttar Pradesh from January 13 to February 26. Lakhs of devotees and saints will throng Prayagraj to attend the grand fair this year.

"Thousands of devotees from Odisha also go on pilgrimage to Prayagraj and take a holy dip at the Triveni Sangam (the holy confluence of rivers -- Ganga, Yamuna and Saraswati) whenever Kumbh Mela takes place. As this holy Maha Kumbh Mela fair is going to be held for a long period between January 13 and February 26, I request all to go to Prayagraj on the holy pilgrimage,” stated the CM.

CM Majhi said that the Odisha government has made several arrangements to ensure a safe journey for the pilgrims using the premium bus services offered by OSRTC. Two buses will run up and down on each route. All the necessary arrangements for short-term accommodations at designated places on the routes have also been made by the OSRTC.

CM Majhi also informed that the bus fare has been halved for women pilgrims. He said that a live vehicle tracking system, panic buttons, and an advanced driver assistance system have been set up in the pilgrim buses. Managers are deployed on each bus to ensure the travellers do not face any problems during the journey.

This apart, tents have been erected at the Prayagraj for the pilgrims and tour guides have been engaged to guide the pilgrims there.

A 24x7 help desk has been opened at the OSRTC office here for the pilgrims visiting Maha Kumbh Mela. The pilgrims can also seek assistance by calling 1800 345 1122 or reaching out via WhatsApp at 78490 52205.

Additionally, OSRTC staff have been deployed in Prayagraj to provide all support to the devotees there. Pilgrims can book tickets in advance through the OSRTC website (osrtc.org), mobile app, or at OSRTC ticket counters. The Chief Minister also said that the OSRTC is starting the long-distance journey of over 2,500 km for the first time.

--IANS

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New Delhi, Jan 11 (IANS) The future of regional cooperation in South Asia is currently at a pivotal juncture, shaped by its historical context. While initiatives such as the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) have largely failed to achieve the anticipated pan-regional free trade, another important forum, the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC), risks facing a similar fate unless significant intervention occurs from its largest member states, namely India and Bangladesh.

These concerns have been exacerbated by the recent political upheaval in Bangladesh in August 2024, which followed a prolonged student-led mass movement that resulted in the removal of long-serving Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

This development has been widely interpreted as indicative of a major shift in Bangladesh's domestic and foreign policy, particularly regarding its bilateral relations with India.

As Bangladesh navigates this new political landscape within the broader regional geopolitical context, it becomes essential for the country's new leadership -- regardless of its interim status -- to leverage Dhaka's strategic importance and continue contributing to regional cooperation grounded in mutual respect.

Despite the destabilising effects of the political upheaval in August 2024 and the external pressures on Dhaka to adjust its regional strategic relationships, potentially leading to a distancing from New Delhi, the Indo-Bangla relationship seems to be weathering these challenges with a notable degree of resilience.

As highlighted by Bangladesh’s Chief of Army Staff General Waker-Uz-Zaman, this relationship is characterised by a "give-and-take" dynamic, where Dhaka's dependence on India aligns with New Delhi’s vested interests in maintaining stability in Bangladesh, alongside a growing convergence of their regional and global strategic objectives.

Furthermore, the ongoing alignment of mutual interests, particularly in promoting regional economic integration through frameworks such as BIMSTEC and SAARC, continues to strengthen this bilateral engagement.

These platforms not only have the potential to spark an economic revival across the region but also promise transformative socio-economic benefits, improving the livelihoods of millions in both nations.

Thus, this bilateralism emerges as a fundamental pillar for regional stability and prosperity, emphasising its vital role in shaping the geopolitical and economic landscape of South Asia.

BIMSTEC, or the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation, is an interregional cooperative framework involving seven countries from South Asia and Southeast Asia.

Originally conceived as BIST-EC (Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka, and Thailand Economic Cooperation) in 1997, the initiative aimed to enhance intra-regional trade, investment, and economic integration within the Bay of Bengal area.

Following the later inclusion of Myanmar, Bhutan, and Nepal, the organisation was officially renamed BIMSTEC during its inaugural summit in 2004. The primary goal of this grouping is to foster economic collaboration among its member states while addressing various sectors of mutual interest.

As of 2023, the BIMSTEC member nations collectively have a population exceeding 1.73 billion and a combined gross domestic product (GDP) of around $5.2 trillion.

Within this framework, India and Bangladesh, ranked as the first and third largest economies based on nominal GDP, play crucial roles.

Their economic dominance provides them with a level of strategic autonomy that facilitates the advancement of regional cooperation, allowing these countries to engage in multilateral initiatives with relative independence from external influences.

This dynamic highlights BIMSTEC's potential as a platform for establishing a restructured, regionally focused economic framework in the Bay of Bengal.

Major ports of BIMSTEC countries in the Bay of Bengal

The establishment of a permanent secretariat in Dhaka in 2014 marked a significant institutionalisation of BIMSTEC's operational framework, aimed at enhancing technical and economic collaboration among its member states.

Initially, the organisation delineated 14 priority sectors for cooperation, each overseen by a designated lead country to ensure focused management and effective execution. India assumed leadership in strategic domains such as Transport, Tourism, and Counter-Terrorism, while Bangladesh took the initiative in Trade and Investment.

However, recognizing the necessity for a more streamlined and outcome-oriented approach, the 2022 Colombo Summit—conducted virtually in response to the COVID-19 pandemic—embarked on a comprehensive restructuring of these cooperation sectors.

The summit aimed to “reduce, reconstitute, and construct” the cooperation framework by consolidating the original 14 sectors into seven core areas, with each member state entrusted with leadership over one sector.

Under this reconfiguration, Bangladesh now leads initiatives in Trade, Investment, and Development, whereas India has been assigned responsibility for Security and Energy Cooperation sectors.

The strategic positioning of the BIMSTEC member countries endows the bloc with considerable potential to facilitate economic integration through enhanced terrestrial and maritime connectivity.

For both India and Bangladesh, active engagement within this regional framework represents a significant opportunity to realise substantial economic gains.

For India, which boasts an annual trade volume exceeding $1,100 billion, BIMSTEC serves as a conduit to access the emerging markets of Southeast Asia, thereby aligning with its broader ‘Act East Policy’ and its aspirations to expand its economy to a $5 trillion threshold in the forthcoming years.

Furthermore, this platform provides a vital avenue for promoting the development of India’s eastern and northeastern regions, which have historically been perceived as economically underutilised.

BIMSTEC's connectivity initiatives provide Bangladesh, which has an annual trade volume exceeding $120 billion as of 2023, with a new cost-effective mechanism to diversify its export portfolio by accessing the Southeast Asian and broader ASEAN markets.

This is particularly crucial for the country's rapidly growing ready-made garment sector, which consistently seeks to expand its market reach beyond traditional western partners.

Consequently, BIMSTEC's integrative potential can significantly enhance Bangladesh’s economic presence within regional and global value chains, thereby reinforcing its role as a key player in the economic landscape of South Asia.

Despite the significant economic potential inherent in the BIMSTEC framework, the failure to operationalise the 2004 Framework Agreement on Free Trade has considerably impeded intra-bloc economic integration over the years.

The Agreement, which is ambitious in scope, sought to establish “effective trade and investment facilitating measures, including the simplification of customs procedures and the development of mutual recognition arrangements, among others".

However, notwithstanding this comprehensive mandate, member states have been unable to achieve a consensus on the implementation of the Free Trade Agreement (FTA), thereby constraining the bloc's economic synergy.

This stagnation is reflected in the asymmetry of trade flows within the bloc.

For example, while annual trade between India and Bangladesh, as well as between India and Thailand, was recorded at over $15.83 billion and $17.29 billion respectively in 2023, trade among other member states has remained suboptimal.

This underscores the imperative for BIMSTEC member countries to re-engage in substantive negotiations, resolve outstanding issues, and operationalise the FTA to unlock its economic potential and promote deeper economic interdependence and shared prosperity throughout the Bay of Bengal region.

In the context of stagnation within regional cooperation frameworks, the recent advocacy by Bangladesh's Chief Advisor, Professor Muhammad Yunus, for the revitalisation of regional blocs such as SAARC presents a timely impetus for recalibration.

However, it would be judicious for Dhaka and New Delhi to prioritise the revitalisation of BIMSTEC, given its relatively lower friction points among member states, as a precursor to re-engaging with more contentious organisations like SAARC.

Despite the prevailing strains in India-Bangladesh relations, enhanced bilateral engagement between these two nations could exemplify to other BIMSTEC member states the feasibility of regional cooperation aimed at collective benefit and socioeconomic development.

Such a strategy could motivate other member states to strengthen bilateral trade relationships, thereby fostering an enabling environment for the eventual operationalisation of the long-stalled Free Trade Agreement within the BIMSTEC framework.

Nevertheless, the onus rests with India and Bangladesh to navigate the current tensions, which are exacerbated by external factors and actors, and to determine whether to permit these disruptions to impede progress or to reaffirm their commitment to advancing cooperation both bilaterally and multilaterally.

BIMSTEC, with its established institutional framework and shared regional aspirations, offers a viable platform for initiating this renewed trajectory of collaboration.

--IANS

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Jakarta, Jan 11 (IANS) Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto met with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba on Saturday, with the two leaders agreeing to enhance cooperation in various sectors.

Subianto told a press conference that Indonesia opened up to the possibility of Japanese companies participating in Indonesia's future economic development, including in the downstream programs of natural resources.

The Indonesian president invited the Japanese government to contribute to Indonesia's economic development, particularly in achieving food and energy self-sufficiency, industrializing natural resources and eliminating hunger for under-nourished communities.

Ishiba expressed Japan's commitment to foster cooperation in resource development and infrastructure to maintain energy security and advance decarbonization efforts.

He also reiterated Japan's support for Indonesia's industrialization initiatives, particularly in downstream natural resources, Xinhua news agency reported.

According to the Japanese Prime Minister's Office (PMO), Ishiba visited the Kalibata Heroes Cemetery and offered flowers.

Afterwards, he attended a welcome ceremony and held a summit meeting with Subianto, followed by a joint press occasion.

In the afternoon, Ishiba attended a luncheon hosted by Prabowo before speaking with the press regarding his visit to Malaysia and Indonesia.

--IANS

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