Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Indonesia on Monday at the start of a three-nation tour that will also take him to Australia and New Zealand and focus on strengthening cooperation in areas such as trade, investment, defence, technology and critical minerals with India’s key partners in the Indo-Pacific region.
Modi was received by Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto upon his arrival in Jakarta, accompanied by four ministers, as a special gesture. Modi’s private jet was escorted by F-16 and Su-30 fighter jets of the Indonesian Air Force as it entered the country’s airspace, reflecting the growing defense and security cooperation between the two sides.
The visit comes at a time when the United States is working to rebalance its relations with China, whose assertive behavior remains a concern across the Indo-Pacific region, and key players in the region are hedging to ensure the diversity and resilience of supply chains and overcome dependence on Beijing. The visit will also reinforce India’s East Policy and efforts to ensure a free and open Indo-Pacific region.
Modi said on social media that he was “moved” by Prabowo’s gesture of welcoming him at the airport, and that their talks on Tuesday “will aim to add more momentum to this partnership across various sectors.”
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India and Indonesia, the largest economy in Southeast Asia and accounting for nearly a third of the ASEAN bloc’s economy, upgraded their relations to a comprehensive strategic partnership in 2018. The value of two-way trade reached $24.78 billion in the period 2025-2026, with the balance in favor of Indonesia. Indonesia is the second ASEAN member country, after the Philippines, to conclude an agreement with India to acquire the BrahMos cruise missile.
Modi’s visit to Indonesia from July 6 to 8 follows Prabowo’s trip to India last year as the chief guest at the Republic Day celebrations on January 26. He said in a statement before his departure that the visit will deepen all aspects of the multifaceted bilateral partnership.
“During this visit, I will also interact with the Indian community in Indonesia and visit the Prambanan temple complex in Yogyakarta with President Prabowo, which is another great testimony to our close cultural ties,” he said.
The visit will also strengthen the defense and maritime partnership between India and Indonesia, according to people familiar with the matter. India-Indonesia defense and security cooperation has witnessed increased momentum and scope through regular bilateral and multilateral exercises and deeper cooperation in the defense industry, including the sale of the BrahMos missile system, they said.
In addition to close cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region, Indonesia has appointed a liaison officer at the Indian Navy’s Information Fusion Center for the Indian Ocean Region (IFC-IOR) to enhance cooperation in maritime domain awareness.
Indonesia has emerged as India’s second largest trading partner in the ASEAN region, and more than 130 Indian companies have a presence in various sectors in Indonesia. India also supported Indonesia’s food security priorities, including the supply of 100 tons of wheat seeds, as part of efforts to develop resilient and sustainable agricultural cooperation.
Modi’s visit is also expected to boost cooperation in critical minerals, a sector that Indonesia dominates with nearly 21% of global nickel reserves and ranks among the largest producers of copper, bauxite and tin.
The two sides are also looking forward to cooperating on digital public infrastructure, including the link between India’s Unified Payments Interface (UPI) and Indonesia’s QR Code Standard Digital Payment System (QRIS). This will make travel, tourism, trade and business interactions faster and smoother, people said.
Modi said in his statement that his meetings in Indonesia, Australia and New Zealand will strengthen economic and strategic cooperation with “esteemed development partners.” From Indonesia, Modi will travel to Melbourne for talks with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to strengthen the comprehensive strategic partnership and take forward relations in the areas of defence, security, trade, investments, education and mobility. Modi will also interact with the Indian community in Melbourne.
On the last leg of his tour in New Zealand, Modi will hold talks with Prime Minister Christopher Luxon in Auckland to build on the momentum in bilateral relations and strengthen economic and trade ties. “India and New Zealand have committed to strengthening bilateral trade and commerce relations by signing the FTA,” he said.
