PNG, India to improve relation

 THE Indian High Commissioner to PNG Shri Nagendre Kumar Saxena says India is keen to improve its bilateral relationship with Papua New Guinea.

Saxena said diplomatic relations was established with PNG 20 years ago and India wanted to give more substance to the bilateral relationship.

He had since held meetings with the Ministers Transport, Public Enterprises and State Investments and Petroleum and Energy to know the  kind of assistance India could offer in the sectors.

“The Government of India has already approved a line of credit of K303.03 million (US$100m) of which K90.90 million (US$30m) is for the National Court in Mt Hagen and K212.12 million (US$70m) is for the Madang-Baiyer Highway,” he said.

“We are gifting an ICT (information communication technology) lab to the University of PNG and we are establishing an Institute of Sustainable Maritime and Coastal Research in Motupore.”

He said the Indian president would visit later “during which we hope to sign five or six more memorandum of understanding” for the establishment of various projects.