Trade and economic cooperation, defence, security, secure supply chains for essential commodities such as critical minerals and people-to-people relations are set to top the agenda of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s nearly week-long visit to Indonesia, Australia and New Zealand next week, officials said on Friday.
Modi will begin his three-country tour by traveling to Indonesia, which has emerged as a major security and economic partner in the ASEAN region, during the period from July 6 to 8. He is scheduled to visit Australia from July 8 to 10, before traveling to New Zealand from July 10 to 11. In addition to holding talks with the leaders of the three countries, Modi will participate in events with the Indian community.
The Prime Minister is visiting Indonesia at the invitation of President Prabowo Subianto, who was the chief guest on India’s Republic Day in January 2025. Modi will hold talks with Prabowo to review progress in bilateral relations and address a gathering of the Indian community in Jakarta. He will also visit the Prambanan temple complex in Yogyakarta, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, where India and Indonesia are set to collaborate on an environmental conservation project.
In Australia, Modi will hold talks with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in Melbourne and participate in the India-Australia CEO Forum. Modi and Albanese, along with sports figures from both countries, will participate in a sporting event at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. He will also address a gathering of the Indian community.
Modi is scheduled to travel to Auckland on the last leg of his tour to hold talks with New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon. This will be the first visit by an Indian Prime Minister to New Zealand in four decades. Bilateral relations have witnessed significant growth in the past two years, including the signing of a free trade agreement and the strengthening of defense cooperation. Modi will interact with business and sports figures and address a gathering of the Indian community.
Addressing a press conference, Rudhirendra Tandon, Secretary (East), Ministry of External Affairs, said the visit represents a focus on the Eastern Indian Ocean in line with India’s Act East policy. “Indonesia has always played an important role in the security and stability of the Malacca Strait. This is a very important maritime area for India, as it represents one of India’s most important sea lanes of communication.” [and] The global economy,” he said.
Indonesia is also a key country within the ASEAN bloc and plays an important role in strengthening the rules-based order, and Modi and Prabowo will work to take the relationship forward, especially in maritime and defense cooperation and promoting trade, he said.
Asked about the ongoing review of the ASEAN-India Trade in Goods Agreement (AITIGA), Tandon pointed out the complexities involved as this is a multilateral agreement that requires the involvement of all ASEAN member states. “we [have] “We discussed with all our partners in ASEAN the importance of updating and reviewing the AITIGA agreement, which is a very old agreement and may not reflect the structures of the economies either in India or in ASEAN,” he said.
Vishwesh Negi, Joint Secretary for Oceania and Indo-Pacific Affairs in the Ministry of External Affairs, said the visit will give impetus to the ongoing negotiations with Australia on a Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA). “Our teams are closely involved, and we are working with the Ministry of Commerce on this,” he said.
Tandon responded to a question about steps taken by New Zealand to reduce immigration by saying that the Indian government’s focus is on mobility, or improving the prospects of highly skilled workers, executives and technical experts. “Experience has shown us that over a period of time, the hassle faced by our technical experts creates a de facto non-tariff barrier effect,” he said.
