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President Prabowo’s Visit to India Results in Various Strategic Agreements

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By: Hutama Putra

President Prabowo Subianto’s visit to India marked an important moment to strengthen strategic synergy at both regional and global levels. As two of the largest democracies in Asia, the relationship between Indonesia and India holds strategic value not only for the two countries but also for the stability and progress of the Indo-Pacific region. This visit reaffirmed Indonesia’s position as a key player in promoting regional stability, in line with its membership in ASEAN and various other international organizations. The close cooperation between the two nations demonstrates their commitment to creating a safe, stable, and prosperous regional order.

During his meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, President Prabowo emphasized the importance of closer cooperation in maritime security. Given the strategic positions of both countries in the Indian Ocean and South China Sea, maritime security became a central issue in their bilateral discussions. This security not only relates to preventing traditional threats such as piracy or hijacking but also concerns the stability of global supply chains that heavily rely on the sea lanes passing through both countries.

In his talks with Prime Minister Modi, India expressed its readiness to share technology and knowledge to strengthen Indonesia’s maritime security capabilities. This step is considered crucial to facing increasingly complex geopolitical challenges, including maintaining freedom of navigation in strategic maritime areas.

Beyond security, both countries are also committed to expanding collaboration in the renewable energy sector. With large populations and increasing energy demands, both Indonesia and India face similar challenges in ensuring sustainable energy availability. India offered its experience and expertise in the development of solar and wind energy to support Indonesia’s energy transition agenda.

This collaboration is expected to reduce dependence on fossil fuels while strengthening each nation’s energy resilience. Renewable energy projects being explored by both countries include the development of solar power plants in rural and remote areas in Indonesia.

In terms of the economy, the trade relationship between the two nations has shown positive growth. Prime Minister Modi noted that bilateral trade volume last year reached a significant figure of USD 30 billion. Both India and Indonesia agreed to further diversify trade and open up market access for each country’s leading products. For Indonesia, this presents a major opportunity to boost exports of strategic commodities such as palm oil, coal, and other mineral products. In this regard, President Prabowo emphasized the importance of strengthening mutually beneficial supply chains between the two countries.

Not only trade, but India has also shown significant interest in increasing its investments in Indonesia. The Indonesian government, under President Prabowo’s leadership, has placed significant attention on attracting foreign investments by simplifying regulations and developing large-scale infrastructure projects.

One of the flagship projects drawing India’s attention is the development of the new capital city, Nusantara (IKN). Prime Minister Modi conveyed India’s readiness to actively participate in the IKN development project, including supporting the digital technology sector, which is one of the joint priorities. This investment is expected to accelerate the development of strategic infrastructure and drive economic growth in the new region.

Defense cooperation also became one of the main focuses of the visit. With the ratification of the defense cooperation agreement between the two countries, Indonesia and India agreed to strengthen manufacturing and supply chains in the defense industry. This collaboration includes joint training, technology transfer, and research development in defense.

President Prabowo emphasized that this cooperation is a strategic step to ensure national sovereignty and security stability amid increasingly complex geopolitical dynamics. In this regard, India offered advanced defense technology that could help strengthen Indonesia’s military capabilities.

This visit also highlighted the importance of cultural cooperation as an element that strengthens bilateral relations. Indonesian Minister of Culture, Fadli Zon, who accompanied President Prabowo, emphasized that culture is a gateway to opening up collaboration opportunities in various other sectors.

With the signing of the Cultural Exchange Program, Indonesia and India agreed to enhance cooperation in the fields of arts, history, and cultural heritage conservation. This program not only supports the preservation of each country’s cultural heritage but also strengthens people-to-people relations, which serve as the foundation of strong bilateral ties.

Additionally, Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto, who was also present during the visit, stated that the historical relationship between Indonesia and India, which has existed since the era of Presidents Sukarno and Jawaharlal Nehru, must continue to be developed. Airlangga highlighted that the trade surplus between the two countries is strong evidence of mutually beneficial economic ties. He also emphasized the importance of collaboration in the information technology sector, considering the great potential of both countries in this field.

Overall, President Prabowo Subianto’s state visit to India represents a tangible symbol of Indonesia’s active role in global diplomacy. The continuing strengthening of bilateral relations demonstrates the commitment of both nations to cooperate in facing global challenges.

By fortifying relations in the areas of security, energy, economy, defense, and culture, Indonesia and India are cementing their positions as strategic partners who mutually support each other. This is not only important for both countries but also for the stability and progress of the Indo-Pacific region. This visit underscores that Indonesia, as the largest democracy in Southeast Asia, has a key role in building a fairer and more balanced world order.

By: Hutama Putra, Contributor, Jendela Baca Institute

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