Envoy says negotiations are at an advanced stage ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Jakarta….reports Asian Lite News Desk
Discussions on Indonesia’s interest in acquiring the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile system are at an advanced stage, and India is hopeful of an early breakthrough, Indian Ambassador to Indonesia Sandeep Chakravorty said ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the Southeast Asian nation.
Speaking to IANS, Ambassador Chakravorty said the negotiations had made significant progress and expressed optimism that they would soon translate into defence exports from India to Indonesia.
“There have been discussions which are at an advanced stage. We hope that very soon these discussions will materialise and there will be movement of defence equipment from India into Indonesia,” the envoy said.
Apart from defence cooperation, Chakravorty highlighted growing opportunities for collaboration in the critical minerals sector, noting that Indonesia possesses abundant reserves of nickel, coal, rare earths, gold and copper.
He said the Indonesian government has adopted a policy of “downstreaming”, under which it seeks to process mineral ores domestically instead of exporting them in raw form.
According to the Ambassador, India is exploring opportunities for its companies to invest in Indonesia’s mineral processing sector and develop value-added supply chains that would serve both the Indian and global markets.
“What we are looking at is for Indian enterprise and investment to come here and process these resources to an advanced stage and then supply them to India and the global market. Some developments in this regard are expected during the visit,” he said.
Highlighting the broader strategic partnership, Chakravorty said India and Indonesia share deep historical and maritime links that have continued to strengthen in recent years.
“India and Indonesia are maritime neighbours. Our relations date back centuries, we have had a common colonial past, and our post-colonial development trajectories are very similar. Today, we have to leverage our close ties for the benefit of our peoples. In the last few years, we have witnessed greater intensity in our relations,” he said.
The Ambassador said Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto’s visit to India soon after assuming office had injected fresh momentum into bilateral ties, and Prime Minister Modi’s upcoming visit was expected to further deepen cooperation.
“Our relationship is multidimensional and multifaceted. Every pillar has a great deal of activity, whether it is defence, education, food security, trade, investment or space. There is cooperation and engagement across all these sectors,” he added.
Chakravorty also said India has agreed to support the restoration of the Prambanan Temple, the ninth-century Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Shiva and recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, describing it as another important aspect of cultural cooperation between the two countries.
Speaking about Prime Minister Modi’s popularity in Indonesia, the Ambassador said the Indian leader enjoys considerable goodwill among the Indonesian people.
“Prime Minister Modi is a very popular leader globally, and that popularity is also evident in Indonesia. During his visit, you will see a large number of people wanting to meet him. There will be a major community event in Jakarta where you will witness the warmth and affection that people here have for the Prime Minister,” he said.
Prime Minister Modi’s visit is expected to focus on expanding cooperation across defence, trade, investment, critical minerals, education, space and cultural exchanges, while reinforcing the strategic partnership between the two maritime neighbours.
