PM Modi’s Indonesia visit puts Indo-Pacific, defence ties in focus
“India and Indonesia have important geographical positions at both ends of the Indian Ocean and both have an interest in maintaining a stable, inclusive and rules-based regional order,” said Fitriani, senior analyst at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute.
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Hadza Min Fadhli Robby, associate professor at the Islamic University of Indonesia, said: “A stable and secure regional order will help the Indian economy thrive amid possible instabilities in both West Asia and the South China Sea.”
Modi will travel to Indonesia from July 6-8, marking his fourth visit to the country but his first bilateral visit since May 2018, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said at a briefing in New Delhi last week.
The MEA said Modi will meet President Prabowo Subianto, address the diaspora in Jakarta and visit the Prambanan Temple complex, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, before flying to Australia and New Zealand.
Fitriani, who identified himself by his first name, said the visit “comes at a time of increasing geopolitical competition in the Indo-Pacific, rising concerns about maritime security and renewed interest in supply chain resilience.” Fitriani also said the trip carries forward the “momentum” created by Subianto’s visit to New Delhi last year, when he was the chief guest at India’s Republic Day celebrations.
“The fact that Indonesia is the first stop of Prime Minister Modi’s (latest) Indo-Pacific tour shows the importance New Delhi attaches to Jakarta within its Act East and Indo-Pacific strategies,” he added.
Robby viewed the visit through the lens of broader geopolitical developments.
“Prime Minister Modi’s visit to Indonesia is significant in light of the turbulent dynamics in both the Indo-Pacific regional order and the global order. Both countries are known for their commitment to strengthening multilateralism on both regional and global platforms.” he said, pointing to joint military training and bilateral consultations as evidence of this commitment.
On maritime connectivity, Robby highlighted the long-stalled Sabang-Nicobar corridor, which would connect Indonesia’s Sabang Port to India’s Nicobar Islands.
“There have been talks on establishing the Sabang-Nicobar corridor, but due to technical problems and lack of political will, these have not yet yielded results. Perhaps it is the right time to restart such talks and renew commitments.” he said.
Fitriani expects the visit to yield “several practical results in the form of memoranda of understanding rather than dramatic breakthroughs,” with “maritime security cooperation” remaining central, along with deeper coordination through regional groups such as the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
Both experts said a potential BrahMos missile deal looms large.
“The purchase of the BrahMos missile system has been a topic of discussion in the Indonesian parliament recently,” Robby said, noting that Indonesia’s financial crisis has led lawmakers to question its timing.
“Regardless of internal discussions, the acquisition of BrahMos will go ahead as the Indonesian Ministry of Finance has secured the budget,” he added.
He framed the purchase, along with the Russian systems, as evidence that Jakarta “does not limit its vision of military cooperation by relying solely on arms purchases from NATO countries”; This was a lesson learned from the 1990s arms embargo on Indonesia that the United States and the European Union faced.
Fitriani said the possible BrahMos deal is strategically important for both parties.
“For India, this will represent another major defense export success… For Indonesia, this acquisition will strengthen coastal defense and anti-access capabilities,” he said, adding that it would signal “middle powers in the Indo-Pacific are becoming more proactive in building deterrence capabilities.”
In the economic field, Fitriani stated that “Indonesia has significant reserves of nickel and other critical minerals required for batteries and electric vehicles, while India is trying to strengthen its production ecosystem,” adding that “critical minerals will be an important topic of discussion.”
Robby pushed for academic collaboration as well as a “common platform for young entrepreneurs and digital industry stakeholders from both countries”, arguing that Indian and Indonesian academics could make significant contributions to advancing the Global South perspective.
