Modi's Indonesia visit puts maritime security at heart of Indo-Pacific ties

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Indonesia for bilateral talks with President Prabowo Subianto from July 6 to 8. The trip is expected to deepen maritime, defence and economic cooperation amid Indo-Pacific uncertainty.

In Short

• Modi will meet Prabowo, diaspora members and visit Prambanan Temple in Jakarta
• Analysts say both nations anchor a stable, rules-based Indian Ocean order
• The visit follows Prabowo's New Delhi trip for Republic Day last year

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will travel to Indonesia from July 6 to 8, his first bilateral visit to the country in eight years, at a time when experts say the Indo-Pacific needs India and Indonesia to work more closely together. The trip comes amid growing geopolitical competition, concerns over maritime security and renewed focus on supply chain resilience in the region.

During the visit, Modi will hold talks with Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto, address the Indian diaspora in Jakarta and visit the Prambanan Temple complex, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, before flying to Australia and New Zealand. The Ministry of External Affairs said it will be Modi's fourth visit to Indonesia, but his first bilateral trip since May 2018.

Fitriani, senior analyst with the Australian Strategic Policy Institute, said, "India and Indonesia occupy pivotal geographic positions at either end of the Indian Ocean and both have an interest in preserving a stable, inclusive and rules-based regional order." Hadza Min Fadhli Robby, associate professor at the Islamic University of Indonesia, said, "A stable and secure regional order will help the Indian economy to thrive amidst possible instability in both West Asia and the South China Sea."

Fitriani said the visit "comes at a time when the Indo-Pacific is experiencing growing geopolitical competition, increasing concern over maritime security, and renewed attention to supply chain resilience". She said the trip carries forward "the momentum" generated by Prabowo's visit to New Delhi last year, when he was chief guest at India's Republic Day celebrations. "The fact that Indonesia is the first stop of Prime Minister Modi's Indo-Pacific tour demonstrates the importance New Delhi attaches to Jakarta within its Act East and Indo-Pacific strategies," she added.

Robby said the visit should also be seen in the context of wider global developments. "PM 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 proof of that commitment.

On maritime connectivity, Robby referred to the long-stalled Sabang-Nicobar corridor linking Indonesia's Sabang Port with India's Nicobar Islands. "There have been talks regarding the establishment of the Sabang-Nicobar corridor, but these have not come to fruition yet due to technical issues and a lack of political will. Perhaps this is the right time to restart such talks and renew their commitment," he said.

Fitriani said she expects the visit to produce "several practical outcomes in the form of memorandum of understanding rather than dramatic breakthroughs", with "maritime security cooperation" remaining central, along with deeper coordination through regional groupings such as the Indian Ocean Rim Association and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

Both experts said a possible BrahMos missile deal will be closely watched. Robby said, "The acquisition of the BrahMos missile system has been a subject of debate recently in the Indonesian parliament," adding that Indonesia's fiscal crisis has led lawmakers to question its timing. "Regardless of the domestic debate, the acquisition of the BrahMos will still proceed, as the Indonesian Ministry of Finance has secured the budget," he said. He said the purchase, along with Russian systems, shows that Jakarta "does not limit its vision of military cooperation by solely relying on arms purchases from NATO countries" after the arms embargo Indonesia faced from the US and the European Union in the 1990s. Fitriani said the potential deal is strategically significant for both sides. "For India, it would represent another major defence export success... For Indonesia, the acquisition would strengthen its coastal defence and anti-access capabilities," she said, adding that it would show that "middle powers in the Indo-Pacific are becoming more proactive in building deterrence capabilities."

On the economic front, Fitriani said "critical minerals will be a major topic of discussion," because "Indonesia possesses substantial reserves of nickel and other critical minerals that are essential for batteries and electric vehicles, while India is seeking to strengthen its manufacturing ecosystem". Robby also called for "a common platform for youth entrepreneurs and digital industry stakeholders from both countries", along with academic cooperation, saying Indian and Indonesian scholars can contribute significantly to advancing a Global South perspective. Overall, experts see Modi's visit as an important step in taking forward strategic, economic and regional cooperation between India and Indonesia.

With PTI Inputs

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