Jakarta, Mar 2 (IANS): A function was held here to mark a nearly 50-year-old Indian effort that runs 300 different short-term programmes in various disciplines.

The Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) programme day was celebrated at the Embassy of India, Jakarta, Friday to commemorate India's South-South Cooperation with Indonesia, said a press release.

Ambassador Gurjit Singh gave a brief overview of the ITEC programme.

He said that the programme initiated in 1964 has come a long way since then and today it caters to over 300 different short term programmes in various disciplines such as English training, IT, rural development, agriculture, banking and capital markets, which are imparted by 200 professional Institutes.

He said that ITEC programme was one of the major initiatives of India towards capacity building and showed India's keenness to share its developmental gains with a large number of countries as part of South-South cooperation.

Gurjit Singh said that ITEC programmes has successfully trained over 1,500 Indonesians in different disciplines, including civilian and defence, since its inception in Indonesia in 1994.

Delivering the keynote address, H.S. Dillon, presidential envoy for poverty alleviations, acknowledged the significant contribution of ITEC programme towards training Indonesians nationals and providing them an opportunity to tap into India's technological strides.

He said that India has served as a shining example of a nation which rode the waves of globalisation to garner the greatest benefits for its people.

He urged Indonesia to make the best out of the opportunities provided by the Indian government by acquiring the technological and entrepreneurial skills and then upon their return to Indonesia create value added services and contribute to the overall development of Indonesia.