New impetus for India-Indonesia relations.

This year, the President of Indonesia will be the chief guest at the 76th Republic Day celebrations in India on January 26th. (Source: PTI)

The main guest and special presence

The highlight of the visit was Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto's attendance at the 76th Republic Day celebrations as the chief guest and his extensive talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

According to PTI news agency, citing sources, the two sides will discuss cooperation in the fields of defense and security, trade and investment, healthcare, energy, connectivity, tourism , and people-to-people exchanges. Several memoranda of understanding (MoUs) are likely to be signed during the visit.

According to Business Standard , Indonesia has long desired to purchase BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles from India. Information regarding the BrahMos deal is expected to be announced during the visit.

This was Subianto's first visit to India as head of state.

Thus, Mr. Subianto will be the fourth Indonesian President to attend India's Republic Day celebrations. Indonesia's first President, Sukarno (1901-1970), was the guest of honor at the country's first Republic Day celebrations in 1950. Subsequently, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono attended the event in 2011, and his successor, Joko Widodo, along with his counterparts and heads of government from ASEAN countries, were guests of honor at the ceremony in 2018.

A highlight this year is that a parade contingent and band of 352 members from Indonesia will participate in the upcoming Republic Day parade on Kartavya Avenue. This marks the first time Indonesia has sent a parade contingent and band to a national day parade abroad.

"For Indonesia, India is a friendly country and an important partner," President Prabowo Subianto remarked before departing Halim Perdanakusuma Air Base in Jakarta on January 23.

Key highlights

India-Indonesia relations have seen strong and comprehensive development in recent years. During Prime Minister Modi's visit to Jakarta in 2018, the two sides upgraded their relationship to a comprehensive strategic partnership.

The two countries also adopted a Joint Vision on India-Indonesia Maritime Cooperation in the Indo-Pacific. Mr. Modi met with President-elect Subianto on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Rio de Janeiro on November 19, 2024.

India and Indonesia are close maritime neighbors with cultural and trade ties spanning over a millennium.

The Southeast Asian nation is also a key pillar in New Delhi's Act East policy, and one of its largest trading partners in the ASEAN region.

Bilateral trade volume in 2023 was recorded at US$29.40 billion. Indian investment in Indonesia amounted to US$1.56 billion, with projects in infrastructure, electricity, textiles, steel, automotive, mining, banking, and consumer goods.

Defense and security relations have also expanded, with the signing of a defense cooperation agreement in 2018. Along with the BrahMos deal, Jakarta plans to continue joint exercises with New Delhi as well as port visits to India by Indonesian warships.

Indonesia is home to approximately 150,000 people of Indian descent whose ancestors migrated in the 19th and 20th centuries. According to official figures, around 14,000 Indian citizens currently reside in the archipelago, including businesspeople, engineers, accountants, IT professionals, consultants, and bankers.

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President Subianto has repeatedly stated that he wants Indonesia to befriend all countries. Under the 8th President, Indonesia has become closer to India, especially after Jakarta joined the BRICS group of emerging economies.

A warm relationship with a South Asian maritime neighbor that shares a vision of an inclusive, rules-based, and stable Indo-Pacific region is all the more important in the context of the US-China rivalry turning the region into a crucial arena of geopolitical competition.

Following his visit to India, President Subianto will travel to Malaysia, where he is expected to meet with Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar and Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim. Emphasizing the important roles Indonesia and Malaysia play in promoting strategic cooperation within ASEAN, President Subianto described Malaysia as a “close neighbor with shared cultural, ethnic, and historical foundations,” noting that the two countries “have many similarities” and “will cooperate with other ASEAN nations.”

Source: https://baoquocte.vn/dong-luc-moi-cho-quan-he-an-do-indonesia-302084.html