SUPPLYING BrahMos and Astra missiles to Indonesia, boosting maritime security, and strengthening critical mineral supply chains emerged as the key outcomes of Tuesday’s talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Prabowo Subianto. The two sides inked nearly a dozen agreements to significantly shore up two-way cooperation in a range of areas including critical minerals, technology, food security, medicines and maritime security. Modi landed in Jakarta on Monday to a red-carpet welcome in the first leg of his three-nation tour to strengthen trade and security cooperation under the framework of the India-Indonesia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership of 2018. With both sides aiming to bolster their defence ties, Indonesia decided to import India’s air-to-air Astra missiles following the weapon’s success during Operation Sindoor, it is learnt. The BrahMos missile deal with Indonesia came after India inked similar pacts with Vietnam and the Philippines. The exact number of missiles to be supplied to Indonesia is not immediately known. To strengthen the critical mineral supply chain, India decided to invest in the manufacturing of steel, nickel and rare earth permanent magnets in Indonesia. “In today’s era, the supply chain resilience of technology holds great significance. An important agreement was reached to further strengthen the supply chain in the sectors of critical minerals and steel,” Modi said. “A new beginning is being made in partnerships between our companies regarding stainless steel and rare-earth magnets,” he said. India and Indonesia also agreed to jointly develop the strategically-located Sabang port which overlooks the Strait of Malacca and is 100 miles away from India’s Great Nicobar port project. “The Comprehensive Strategic Partnership we forged in 2018 is taking a new flight today.

 

We are taking important steps forward in every sector - development, security, technology, culture, and education,” Modi said in his media statement following the talks. “I am confident that a golden chapter of India-Indonesia partnership begins today,” he said. The Prime Minister said growing trust between India and Indonesia is strengthening the bilateral defence, security, and maritime cooperation. Today, India and Indonesia reached an agreement to enhance defence exchanges, disaster management, and industrial cooperation, he said. Modi also announced a decision to set up a campus of the Indian Institute of Management-Bangalore in Indonesia. “We are delighted that India’s UPI is set to integrate with Indonesia’s payment system. This will boost both ease of doing business and ease of travel,” he said. The two sides also decided to enhance cooperation in areas of blue economy, maritime trade and port development. The Prime Minister and the Indonesian President also discussed various global challenges including the situation in West Asia. “In this era of global turmoil, India believes that the role of dialogue and diplomacy has become more important than ever before,” Modi said. “On the issue of Palestine, we support the Two-State Solution and long-term peace,” he said. India follows path of development, not expansionism: PM Modi at Indonesian Parliament: INDIA pursues a path of development, not expansionism, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said at the Indonesian Parliament on Tuesday, amid growing concerns in South East Asia over China’s expansionist behaviour in the Indo-Pacific region. In his address to the lawmakers that included President Prabowo Subianto and top ministers, Modi called for further expansion of ties between the two nations and said the world will witness history in the making when 140 crore people of India and Indonesia’s 29 crore citizens march together for shared prosperity.