The recent Defence Ministers’ Dialogue held in Delhi between India and the Republic of Indonesia has aimed to strengthen ties between these two maritime neighbours. The General of Indonesian Defence Ministry, Prabowo Subianto, was present for the dialogue.
Key Outcomes from the Dialogue
The focus of the discussion was giving a new boost to their strategic partnership by expanding security cooperation in various areas like defence industries and technology sharing. Indian representatives expressed satisfaction with the military to military interactions and confirmed that the defence cooperation between both nations experienced rapid growth in recent years, aligning with the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership on both sides.
One of the prominent topics during the talk was the potential export of BrahMos cruise missile from India to Indonesia and ways to deepen maritime security cooperation. However, even though India and Indonesia are aware of China’s aggressive attitude in eastern Ladakh and the South China Sea, there was no official announcement regarding it.
India-Indonesia Partnership and Shared Concerns
Both countries have agreed to join forces on peace, security, and prosperity to achieve their shared vision on maritime cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region. They also recognize the threats posed by extremism and terrorism and agreed to collaboratively tackle them both bilaterally and globally.
Furthermore, The Strait of Malacca, a waterway connecting the Andaman Sea (Indian Ocean) and the South China Sea (Pacific Ocean), runs between the Indonesian island of Sumatra and peninsular (west) Malaysia and extreme southern Thailand.
Trade, Commerce, and Strategic Partnership
The bilateral trade between the two countries showed an increase from USD 4.3 billion in 2005-06 to USD 21 billion in 2018-19. The second-largest trading partner of India in the ASEAN region is Indonesia. Also, India stands as the second-largest buyer of coal and crude palm oil from Indonesia and imports essential items like minerals, rubber, pulp and paper, and hydrocarbons reserves.
Despite the trade growth, there’s a need for more market access for Indian commodities in Indonesia, including pharmaceutical, automotive, and agricultural products. Both countries are members of G20, Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), East Asia Summit, and the United Nations.
Defence Cooperation Agreement and Bilateral Exercises
In 2018, India and Indonesia signed a defence cooperation agreement reflecting the elevation of the relationship between the two to a comprehensive strategic partnership. The year 2019 marked the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations between them. Indonesia also announced plans to relocate the country’s capital from Jakarta to East Kalimantan province on Borneo island in September 2019.
Exercise Samudra Shakti, the bilateral maritime exercise, and Garuda Shakti, a joint military exercise, further exemplify the enhanced defence cooperation between India and Indonesia.
Moving Forward
India cherishes its long history of mutually beneficial interactions with Indonesia, encompassing close political dialogue, economic and trade linkages, and cultural and people-to-people interactions. To address national and regional challenges, both countries need to commit to strengthening and widening the scope of their bilateral cooperation.
