PM Modi accorded Guard of Honour in Jakarta ahead of crucial bilateral talks
The ceremonial welcome in Jakarta took place in the presence of Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto, who personally presided over the guest leader’s reception.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Prabowo Subianto shared a warm embrace, showing the close personal relationship between the two dignitaries.
After the grand reception, the focus shifts to direct diplomatic interaction as PM Modi is scheduled to hold extensive bilateral talks with President Prabowo today.
This high-profile interaction took place after the Prime Minister landed in Indonesia on Monday to kick off his three-nation diplomatic visit. His arrival was marked by military aircraft escorting the Prime Minister’s plane as it entered Indonesian airspace, where he was officially welcomed at the airport by Prime Minister Prabowo and greeted with a traditional cultural dance performance.
The official visit to Indonesia from July 6 to 8, at the personal invitation of President Prabowo, marks his fourth trip to the Southeast Asian country. Importantly, this marks the first bilateral visit between the two countries since they officially upgraded their diplomatic relations to Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in 2018.
Today’s high-level engagement is expected to give further impetus to this Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, and bilateral defense and maritime coordination will be high on the joint agenda. Security relations between New Delhi and Jakarta have expanded significantly in recent years, with frequent high-level official contacts, regular joint military maneuvers, collaborative defense industry initiatives and the significant purchase of BrahMo supersonic cruise missiles by Indonesia. Underlining the focus on regional maritime security, the MAHASAGAR (Mutual and Integral Progress for Security among Regions) framework serves as India’s institutional vision to promote security, stability and inclusive development growth. maritime field. In line with this strategy, Prime Minister Modi stated that the diplomatic visit will directly build on the strong momentum that characterizes India’s relations with Indonesia, Australia and New Zealand, and will have a distinct focus on expanding cooperation in strategic, economic and people-centered areas.
“My visit to Indonesia and Australia in the Eastern and Southern Indian Ocean respectively and then to New Zealand will further strengthen India’s Act East Policy, MAHASAGAR Vision as well as our outlook towards a free and open Indo-Pacific,” the Prime Minister said in his departure statement. he said.
After his current work in Indonesia, Prime Minister Modi will travel to Australia and New Zealand as part of his multinational visit. Ahead of his arrival in these countries, members of the Indian diaspora community living in Indonesia expressed strong optimism that the high-level visit would pave the way for enhanced collaborative initiatives in mining, infrastructure, energy and emerging technology sectors.
It is also planned that the Prime Minister will have direct contact with these members of the local Indian diaspora during his stay in Jakarta. He will also accompany President Prabowo on his way to the UNESCO-listed Prambanan Temple Complex in Yogyakarta, a historic site that he has previously described as a visible symbol of the deep civilizational ties that bind the two countries.
These enduring civilizational ties are also reflected on the economic front, where Indonesia is India’s second largest commercial trading partner within the ASEAN bloc. The total bilateral trade volume reached US$ 24.78 billion in fiscal 2025-26, and more than 130 Indian trading companies maintain active investment footprints covering various sectors of the Indonesian domestic economy.
Building on these robust commercial channels, strategic procurement of critical minerals is also expected to feature in today’s bilateral state negotiations. Indonesia currently holds about 21 percent of global nickel reserves and is among the major international producers of bauxite, copper and tin, making the archipelago a vital partner for India’s long-term supply chain security and renewable energy transition goals.
Consequently, the Prime Minister’s official visit aims to deepen institutional cooperation while systematically strengthening trade and investment channels within the critical mineral sector, as well as a comprehensive review of the entire spectrum of bilateral relations.
