TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Indonesia`s state-owned train manufacturer PT Industri Kereta Api (INKA) begins eyeing the African market as part of its business expansion after successfully marketing its train cars in Southeast Asia and South Asia.

"We first focused on the Southeast Asian market, and then on the South Asian markets. Now we begin eyeing the African market including Zambia," PT Inka acting president director M Nur Sodiq said on Monday.

Sodiq said PT Inka is looking into the possibility of cooperation with Zambia in the procuement of 30 locomotives worth an estimated US$90 million.

"Inka has vision to become a`world class rolling stock company. Africa is a new market after we have entered the Bangladeshi, Sri Lankan and Pakistani markets," he said.

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PT Inka executive vice president Bambang Kushendarto said the company is still negotiating with Zambia on the project.

"We are still in the process of negotiation. This is our first project with an African country to procure 30 electric diesel locomotives," he said.

The project serves as tripartite cooperation among Indonesia, Zambia and Sweden. Under the cooperation, Sweden has agreed to extend soft loans to Zambia to build infrastructures and facilities, while PT Inka acted as a rolling stock company.

The cooperation will last for two years, while it will take four years to construct the infrastructures.

"The first locomotive will be ready in 22 months. So we will only provide locomotives, while Sweden will build infrastructures," he said.

ANTARA