Rajya Sabha MP and former Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla has stated that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's upcoming visit to Indonesia is poised to enhance the India-Indonesia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, particularly in maritime cooperation, trade, connectivity, and civilisational ties. Speaking to ANI on Sunday, Shringla highlighted the strategic timing of the visit, which follows the establishment of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership during Modi's 2018 visit to Indonesia.
Strengthening Maritime Cooperation
Shringla emphasised that maritime cooperation is expected to be a key outcome of the visit, given the geographical proximity of both nations along the Malacca Strait. He noted, "We are really looking forward to many outcomes from what I can understand. One of the important outcomes is in the maritime domain. India and Indonesia are maritime neighbours. From that perspective, our development of the Greater Nicobar Port facilities and the development of Sabang Port, in which we are also involved, the synergies that we will create are important."
Highlighting the strategic importance of the Malacca Strait, Shringla pointed out that approximately 23% of the world's oil flows through this waterway, which borders both the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Indonesia. He added that defence cooperation between the two countries has been growing, with joint naval exercises involving Japan, and that Modi's visit would consolidate these strategic aspects.
Expanding Bilateral Trade and Economic Ties
On the economic front, Shringla noted that bilateral trade currently stands at around USD 23-24 billion, with significant potential for growth. "India imports a lot of its natural resources from Indonesia, but also exports a lot of items like pharmaceuticals and electronics to Indonesia. I think that can be improved upon, and India can get involved in projects in Indonesia which are larger turnkey projects," he said. He also pointed to opportunities in digital public infrastructure, such as introducing India's UPI system in Indonesia, and in tourism, given the high number of Indian visitors to Bali and Jakarta.
Civilisational and Cultural Dimensions
Shringla underscored the civilisational dimension of the visit, noting that Modi's proposed visit to the Prambanan Temple complex in Yogyakarta would reinforce centuries-old cultural links. "Prambanan Temple complex is a very significant one in Java Island, and the idea of the visit will also be to see if we can provide support in terms of the restoration of that important monument, which goes back to the times that our two countries were linked together in the past," he said. He also referenced a statue of Krishna and Arjuna in central Jakarta as a symbol of historical ties, adding that Modi's visit seeks to translate these historical connections into contemporary, mutually beneficial cooperation.
Visit Details and Schedule
PM Modi is scheduled to visit Indonesia from July 6 to 8 at the invitation of President Prabowo Subianto. According to the Ministry of External Affairs, this will be his fourth visit to Indonesia and his first bilateral visit since the elevation of ties to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in 2018. During the visit, Modi will hold bilateral talks with President Prabowo, address the Indian diaspora in Jakarta, and visit the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Prambanan Temple complex. Indonesia is the first leg of a three-nation tour that also includes Australia and New Zealand.
