Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto on Saturday reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening the comprehensive strategic partnership between their two countries with focus on sectors like defence, security, maritime domain, economic ties, and people-to-people connections.

The two leaders held bilateral talks at the Hyderabad House in the capital and discussed ways to deepen India-Indonesia relations in various domains, particularly defence and security.

Advertisement

The Indonesian leader is in India as the chief guest at the Republic Day celebrations.

In a post on X after the meeting, Modi said, “India and Indonesia are closely cooperating in various multilateral platforms as well. Indonesia is at the core of our Act East Policy and we welcome Indonesia’s BRICS membership.”
“We discussed ways to deepen India-Indonesia relations in areas such as security, defence manufacturing, trade, FinTech, AI and more. Sectors like food security, energy and disaster management are also areas where we look forward to working closely,” the Prime Minister said in another post on X.

During the meeting, PM Modi and President Subianto also exchanged views on regional and global issues of mutual interest, according to Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal.

In a post shared on X, Randhir Jaiswal stated, “India-Indonesia | Together for our vision of the Indo Pacific. PM @narendramodi and President @prabowo of Indonesia held wide-ranging talks at Hyderabad House today. Both leaders reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership with focus in the areas of defence & security, maritime domain, economic & people-to-people ties. They also exchanged views on regional and global issues of mutual interest.”

Several Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) were exchanged during the meeting, covering areas such as health cooperation, digital infrastructure, and defence collaboration.

PM Modi emphasised Indonesia’s importance as a partner in the ASEAN and Indo-Pacific regions, reaffirming India’s commitment to ASEAN’s centrality and unity under its ‘Act East’ policy.

“The year 2025 will be celebrated as India-ASEAN Year of Tourism. This will enhance cultural exchanges and promote tourism between India and Indonesia. Indonesia is an important partner for us in the ASEAN and Indo-Pacific regions. We both are committed to maintaining peace, security, prosperity and the rule of law in this region. We agree that freedom of navigation should be ensured in accordance with international laws,” the Prime Minister said.

“ASEAN unity and centrality has been emphasised in our ‘Act-East’ policy,” PM Modi said.

Highlighting the historical relationship, PM Modi said, “Indonesia was the chief guest on India’s first Republic Day, and as we celebrate 75 years of the Republic, it is a matter of great pride that Indonesia is part of this historic occasion.”

The Prime Minister noted the growing bilateral trade, which exceeded $30 billion last year, and announced enhanced cooperation in areas such as Fintech, Artificial Intelligence, the Internet of Things, and digital public infrastructure.

He also mentioned collaborative efforts in maritime security, cyber security, counter-terrorism, and de-radicalisation.

The significant agreements included maritime safety and security, aimed at bolstering crime prevention, search and rescue, and capacity building. Additionally, the partnership in energy, critical minerals, science, technology, and space was further strengthened.

PM Modi also highlighted cultural and historical ties, referencing the Ramayana, Mahabharata and Bali Jatra, as well as India’s involvement in the conservation of Indonesia’s Prambanan Hindu Temple.

The Prime Minister welcomed Indonesia’s membership in BRICS and reiterated India’s commitment to collaborating on the interests of Global South countries.

Prabowo expressed his gratitude to India for its longstanding support, noting that the Indonesian Embassy in India is located on land donated by the Indian government.

Extending greetings to India on the 76th Republic Day, Prabowo said, “We feel very honoured that I will be the Chief Guest tomorrow at the Republic Day parade and because the first Chief Guest in India’s first Republic Day parade was President Sukarno, so this is a great honour for me. For the first time, an Indonesian military contingent has taken part in a military parade outside of Indonesia.”

“Indonesia considers India a long-time friend. India was one of the first strong supporters of our independence struggle. India sent assistance, financial aid, and medical aid in our struggle for independence. Many Indian leaders supported us in our critical times,” he added.

He also thanked India for supporting Indonesia’s permanent membership in BRICS, stating, “We are convinced that this cooperation will be beneficial to global stability and regional cooperation.”

Prabowo highlighted that ongoing discussions will strengthen cooperation in trade, investment, tourism, health, energy, and technology.

Both leaders emphasised their shared commitment to peace, security, and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region, reaffirming their determination to deepen the long-term strategic partnership between India and Indonesia.