India and Indonesia commit to study each other’s culture

India and Indonesia have agreed to hasten the establishment of university research positions that focus on each other’s culture.

Prime minister Narendra Modi made the promise as part of a broader commitment to deepen ties during a visit by Indonesia’s president, Joko Widodo.

At a joint press conference, Mr Modi said that the pair had “agreed on the importance of stimulating research on our historical linkages”.

As a result, the countries would “speed up establishment of chairs of Indian and Indonesian studies in each other’s universities”.

Scholarship and training programmes would also be expanded, he said. “Ties of history and strong cultural links between our societies are our shared heritage,” Mr Modi said.

david.matthews@tesglobal.com