In special gesture, Indonesian President welcomes PM Modi at Jakarta airport
Jakarta, July 6
Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Jakarta Monday afternoon, kicking off his two-day visit to Indonesia. In a special gesture, President Prabowo Subianto personally received PM Modi at the airport as he was accorded a warm welcome.
Fighter jets from the Indonesian Air Force accompanied the Indian PM's plane from the time it entered the Indonesian airspace.
At the airport, PM Modi witnessed traditional Indonesian performances.
During the visit, PM Modi will hold bilateral discussions with the Indonesian President and review progress made in the partnership.
Indonesia is the first stop on PM Modi's three-nation tour. It will be followed by visits to Australia and New Zealand, later in the week.
In his departure statement, PM Modi said that he will be in Indonesia from July 6-8 at the invitation of Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto.
"India and Indonesia elevated bilateral ties to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership during my first visit to Indonesia in 2018. This will be my first bilateral visit after the elevation of our bilateral ties and follows the state visit of President Prabowo, who was the chief guest at our Republic Day celebrations on 26 January, 2025," the Prime Minister said.
He mentioned that India and Indonesia share strong civilisational and people-to-people ties, and this visit will "further deepen all aspects of our multifaceted partnership".
"During this visit, I will also interact with the Indian diaspora in Indonesia and visit the Prambanan Temple complex at Yogyakarta with President Prabowo, which is another remarkable testament to our close cultural ties," he added.
India's defence and security cooperation with Indonesia has seen increased momentum and expanding scope through high-level visits, regular bilateral and multilateral exercises and deeper defence industry cooperation - including the sale of BrahMos.
As maritime neighbours, both countries adopted the Shared Vision of India-Indonesia Maritime Cooperation in the Indo-Pacific in 2018. The stationing of an Indonesian Liaison Officer at IFC-IOR will give further impetus to maritime domain awareness. India will also be earmarking slots for Indonesian cadets and officers in NDA and DSSC which will enhance defence capacity building.
There are also strong synergies between developmental visions of 'Viksit Bharat 2047' and 'Emas (Golden) Indonesia 2045'. Indonesia has emerged as the second largest trading partner of India in the ASEAN region with bilateral trade in 2025-26 at US$ 24.78 billion. Over 130 Indian companies are invested in different sectors in Indonesia.
— IANS
Reader Comments
I appreciate the focus on maritime security and defence cooperation. As two major Indian Ocean nations, India and Indonesia working together on BrahMos and naval exercises is crucial for regional stability. The 24.78 billion trade is impressive too.
While the reception is commendable, I hope these visits translate into tangible benefits for common Indians. The defence deals and strategic partnerships sound good on paper, but we need to see more people-to-people exchanges and economic opportunities for Indian businesses in Indonesia. Still, a positive step forward.
The mention of Prambanan Temple visit is beautiful - it shows our shared Hindu heritage. I recall that temple has Ramayana reliefs similar to Angkor Wat. This cultural diplomacy is as important as the political talks. Sad that many Indians don't know about these historical connections.
Great to see PM Modi interacting with the Indian diaspora in Indonesia too. That community works hard and deserves recognition. Also, the idea of Indonesian cadets training at NDA is brilliant - it builds long-term trust between our armed forces.
I'm happy about the 'Viksit Bharat 2047' and 'Golden Indonesia 2045' synergy. Both countries have similar developmental aspirations. But I hope the trade balance is fair - too often smaller countries get exploited. India should ensure mutual benefit.
S We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.