New Delhi: India and Indonesia on Tuesday significantly expanded their Comprehensive Strategic Partnership by signing 14 agreements and announcing six major initiatives spanning defence, maritime security, digital technology, healthcare, agriculture, education, space cooperation and critical minerals, as Prime Minister Narendra Modi held wide-ranging talks with Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto in Jakarta.
The two leaders also reaffirmed their shared commitment to strengthening cooperation in the Indo-Pacific, enhancing supply chain resilience and deepening economic engagement, describing the growing partnership as one that would contribute not only to the prosperity of the two countries but also to regional peace and stability.
Speaking after the delegation-level talks, Prime Minister Modi said India and Indonesia were entering “a golden new chapter” in bilateral ties.
“Our Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, established in 2018, is reaching new heights today. We are making significant strides across every domain of cooperation, including development, security, technology, culture and education. I am confident that today marks the beginning of a golden new chapter in the India-Indonesia partnership,” Modi said.
President Prabowo described India as one of Indonesia’s closest strategic partners and said stronger cooperation between the world’s two largest democracies would benefit the entire Indo-Pacific region.
A major highlight of the visit was the signing of an agreement on the BrahMos missile system. According to media reports, citing the Indonesian Presidential Palace, India’s BrahMos Aerospace and Indonesia’s Ministry of Defence concluded an agreement for cooperation on the supersonic cruise missile system. Separate defence cooperation was also announced between Indonesia’s Republikorp and India’s Bharat Dynamics Limited for air-to-air missile systems.
While neither leader referred specifically to the BrahMos agreement during their public remarks, “cooperation on BrahMos Missile System” has been listed as one of the key outcomes of PM Modi’s Indonesia visit in an official release by PIB India. According to media reports, negotiations on the missile system had been under way for several years, making Indonesia another important regional partner for India’s growing defence exports.
Beyond defence, the two countries signed agreements to strengthen cooperation in space exploration, disaster management, telecommunications, research and innovation, agriculture, medical products regulation, health workforce collaboration, election management, maritime safety and security, and critical minerals and steel supply chains.
A strategic joint venture between the Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL) and Indonesia’s PT Krakatau Steel will establish a stainless steel slab manufacturing facility in Indonesia. Another agreement involving India’s Non-Ferrous Materials Technology Development Centre, Midwest Ltd and Indonesia’s PT PERMINAS aims to develop rare earth magnet technologies, an area considered crucial for clean energy and advanced manufacturing.
The leaders also announced several initiatives designed to broaden cooperation beyond government-to-government engagement.
India will assist Indonesia in conserving and restoring the historic Prambanan Temple complex in Yogyakarta, one of Southeast Asia’s most significant Hindu heritage sites. The two countries will also commemorate the “Tagore-Dewantara Year of Cultural and Educational Diplomacy” to mark the centenary of Rabindranath Tagore’s visit to Indonesia and celebrate his intellectual influence on Indonesia’s first Education Minister, Ki Hajar Dewantara.
In another significant education initiative, the Indian Institute of Management Bangalore will establish an overseas campus at Indonesia’s Singhasari Special Economic Zone, creating new opportunities for students across the ASEAN region.
The two sides also agreed to work towards integrating India’s Unified Payments Interface (UPI) with Indonesia’s payment ecosystem to facilitate seamless business transactions and tourism.
“People-to-people ties are the greatest strength of our relationship. We are delighted that India’s Unified Payments Interface (UPI) will soon be integrated with Indonesia’s payment system. This will further enhance both the ease of doing business and the ease of travel between our two countries,” Modi highlighted in his speech.
On the economic front, India will supply 100 tonnes of high-quality wheat seeds to Indonesia to strengthen food security, while both countries agreed to expand cooperation in sustainable agriculture and agri-technology. Modi said India’s experience in public welfare programmes such as the Mid-Day Meal Scheme and Public Distribution System would also be shared with Indonesia.
Healthcare emerged as another important pillar of cooperation. Agreements signed during the visit will facilitate greater access to affordable Indian medicines in Indonesia while supporting capacity building and training for Indonesian healthcare professionals.
Maritime cooperation featured prominently in the discussions, reflecting the strategic importance of the Indian Ocean and the Indo-Pacific.
“Our two Coast Guards will now work together to enhance maritime safety and security in the Indian Ocean. As two close maritime nations, we have also decided to deepen our cooperation in the blue economy, port development and maritime trade,” Modi said.
He further stressed that resilient technology supply chains had become increasingly important amid global uncertainties, adding that the agreements on critical minerals and steel would strengthen long-term industrial cooperation between the two countries.
The leaders also exchanged views on regional and global issues, including developments in the Indo-Pacific and the situation in West Asia. Modi reiterated India’s support for ASEAN centrality and reaffirmed India’s long-standing support for a two-state solution to the Israel-Palestine conflict, emphasising that dialogue and diplomacy remained the best path towards lasting peace.
Prime Minister Modi also thanked Indonesia for conferring upon him the country’s highest civilian honour earlier in the day, dedicating the recognition to the people of India and describing it as a tribute to the enduring friendship between the two nations.
The visit marks one of the most substantive expansions of India-Indonesia cooperation in recent years, with agreements spanning strategic sectors expected to deepen bilateral engagement and reinforce both countries’ shared vision of a secure, prosperous and rules-based Indo-Pacific.
