​India with Indonesia: on ancient ties to a new phase  

Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto’s visit to India, as chief guest at the Republic Day parade, was replete with the symbolism of historically important ties between the two countries, albeit short on concrete outcomes. India and Indonesia’s ancient ties, that rest on trade and travel to the spread of an adapted form of Javanese Hinduism, as well as the use of Vedic scriptures and Sanskrit works, have given the two countries a formidable engagement. In the previous century, it was their solidarity against imperialism, which led to independent India’s support to Indonesian leaders fighting Dutch colonialism, with Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru banning Dutch overflights and sending Indian planes to evacuate the Indonesian Prime Minister and Vice President — in an article in The Hindu on January 5, 1950, Indonesia’s first President, Sukarno, wrote about Indonesia’s gratitude. Next, India and Indonesia were united by their aversion to great power politics. They supported the creation of the non-aligned movement (NAM), beginning with the Bandung Conference. Ties were also forged by their innate similarities as two Asian nations that dominated South Asia and South-East Asia by size. Both were countries where large religious majorities practised tolerance towards sizable minorities, as well as economic powerhouses committed to an equitable development of their large populations. In the recent past, ties have been spurred by common concerns over western sanctions after the start of the Ukraine war, U.S.-China rivalry and China’s aggression in the Indo-Pacific, worries over “food, fertilizer and fuel” security and a weakening multilateral order. Their efforts to forge consensus at the G-20 summits in Bali (2022) and Delhi (2023), will now be put to further use as Indonesia has joined BRICS. In that sense, Mr. Subianto’s visit, in the 75th year of bilateral ties, is a full circle: from Bandung to an enlarged BRICS.

Given the historical, strategic and geopolitical importance of relations, the announcements were more modest than expected. There were five MoUs in health, traditional medicine, maritime security, digital development and cultural cooperation and the joint statement referred to strengthening defence cooperation. However, no specific progress was announced on the sale of India’s Brahmos missile, or on the Sabang port project and Aceh-Andamans connectivity initiatives. The joint statement was also pointedly non-committal on their world view, despite their similar positions on recent geopolitical conflicts, and initiatives to engage the Trump administration and China. India’s Republic Day invitation and Mr. Subianto’s visit, fresh in his presidential term, are, however, an important statement for both capitals to make. There is the impetus for the two Asian powers to forge the next phase in their ties.