Bali: President Pratibha Patil arrived here today on a five-day visit aimed at bolstering ties with Indonesia, a key member of the regional ASEAN grouping.
Patil arrived to a warm welcome here on the final leg of her two-nation trip, which earlier took her to Vietnam, to give a momentum to India s Look East policy initiative to enhance ties with its ASEAN neighbours.
During her stay here, Patil would hold talks with her counterpart Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono on a wide range of issues encompassing political, economic and cultural ties.
Briefing reporters accompanying the President at the conclusion of her "productive" four-day visit to Vietnam, Secretary (East) in Ministry of External Affairs N Ravi said that Patil s talks with top Vietnamese leadership have helped to take the Strategic Partnership, signed last year, further to explore new areas of cooperation.
Patil had held talks with General Secretary of Communist Party of Vietnam Nong Dug Manh, President Nguyen Minh Triet and Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung who emphasised the fact that the Strategic Partnership has provided a framework to enhance the ties practically in all fields, including economic, commercial, trade and culture.
The Vietnamese leadership has also extended an invitation to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress President Sonia Gandhi to visit their country and dates for the visits would be finalised through diplomatic chanels, Ravi said.
