Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee arrived in Jakarta on Wednesday on a four-day visit to Indonesia amid indications that Jakarta is looking towards New Delhi again to forge a close economic and political relationship. The visit is expected to give a major boost to bilateral relations with the signing of several agreements on defence cooperation, agriculture, science and technology and culture.

Vajpayee, who flew in from Hanoi, was warmly received by Indonesian President Abdurrahman Wahid, a great admirer of India and follower of Mahatma Gandhi. He was presented with a guard of honour by a contingent of Indonesian armed forces amid a 19-gun salute.
A number of bilateral agreements are expected to be signed during Vajpayee`s stay in Indonesia including that in the fields of defence cooperation, agriculture, tourism and culture but the highlight is likely to be a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on setting up a joint commission to intensify cooperation between the two countries in various spheres. Bureau Report