India and Indonesia signed agreements on missile systems on Tuesday, marking an expansion of Indian defense exports and closer security cooperation as Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto in Jakarta.
Modi's Arrival and Bilateral Meetings
Modi arrived in the capital of Southeast Asia's largest economy on Monday afternoon and was welcomed by Subianto at the airport. Indonesia is the first stop of his week-long Indo-Pacific tour, before Australia and New Zealand.
Key Defense Agreements
Among the 14 memoranda signed during the Jakarta trip are contracts between Indonesia's Ministry of Defense and the Indian-Russian defense corporation Brahmos Aerospace for the purchase of BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles, and between Bharat Dynamics and Indonesian defense company Republikorp for Astra air-to-air missile systems. Other pacts included cooperation in minerals, steel supply chain technology, and space exploration.
Statements from Leaders
While the terms of the agreements were not disclosed, Modi said during a joint press conference with Subianto that relations with Indonesia have been gaining “renewed energy, greater confidence, and deeper strategic depth” since the establishment of a comprehensive strategic partnership in 2018. “We are making significant strides across every domain of cooperation, including development, security, technology, culture, and education,” he said. “I am confident that today marks the beginning of a golden new chapter in the India–Indonesia partnership.”
Strategic Implications
The agreements to supply BrahMos and Astra missiles to Indonesia mark a major expansion of India's defense exports in a region where it competes for influence with China. “A deal with Southeast Asia's largest economy also gives India's defense industry greater legitimacy in the Indo-Pacific,” Vanshika Saraf, geostrategy research analyst at the Takshashila Institution, told Arab News. “The purpose of the visit, apart from taking a stock of the relationship, is to operationalize India's role as an important security partner and economic anchor in Southeast Asia.”
Economic Cooperation in Minerals
Cooperation in metals with a country that produces nearly 60 percent of the world's nickel supply would be a gain in terms of economic security, she said. “India possesses virtually no domestic reserves and relies on Indonesia for nearly all of its ferronickel imports, which are essential to the steel industry. Since the island nation requires nickel to be processed domestically for export, India is looking to set up processing and manufacturing plants within Indonesia, and this visit will help in advancing that conversation.”
Highest State Honor for Modi
Subianto decorated Modi with Bintang Republik Indonesia Adipurna, the highest state honor, in recognition of his leadership and contributions to strengthening Indonesia-India relations. The same honor was previously conferred on Jawaharlal Nehru, India's first prime minister, in 1961. “Prime Minister Modi's visit is a historic milestone. It reflects the commitment of both countries to continue advancing their comprehensive strategic partnership through concrete and mutually beneficial cooperation,” Subianto said.
Modi's Previous Visits to Indonesia
The visit to Indonesia is Modi's fourth. On his first trip in 2018, he met then-President Joko Widodo and relations were upgraded to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. He also went to Indonesia in 2022 for the G20 Summit and later in 2023 for the ASEAN summit.
