Indonesia grants Sri Lankans visa free entry to enhance bilateral commercial activities

Indonesia says it is now offering visa free entry to Sri Lankans in a bid to help enhance commercial activities between the two countries.

“We will offer visa free entry to Sri Lankans visiting Indonesia and it will last for 30 days,” Indonesian Ambassador in Sri Lanka Harimawan Suyitno said.

He made this announcement, while speaking at the Sri Lanka-Indonesia Business Forum, held recently. 

The forum was jointly organised by the Indonesian High Commission in Sri Lanka and the Sri Lanka-Indonesia Business Council of the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce.

The event held in Colombo aimed at exploring trade and investment opportunities between the two nations and the main focus was on exploring possible cooperation in the areas of agribusiness.

Accordingly, a presentation on ‘Exploring the cooperation in agribusiness industry’ was conducted by RochmiWidjajanti, a senior official of the Ministry of Industry of the Republic of Indonesia.

Waruna Madawanaarachchi, Executive Director of the CIC Agri Business conducted a presentation on ‘The Prospects of Agribusiness industry in Sri Lanka’.

The welcome address was delivered by KalingaWijesekera, Acting President, Sri Lanka-Indonesia Business Council of the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce.

Trade between Sri Lanka and Indonesia during 2015 totaled $ 465 million, with the trade balance hugely favoring Indonesia accounting for a sum of $ 400 million. 

Sri Lanka’s main exports to Indonesia are tobacco and apparel clothing, while Indonesia’s main exports to Sri Lanka are tobacco, salt, sulphur, paper items, minerals and cooking oil items, etc.