India-Indonesia to sign key agreements
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to sign numerous deals, including defence and technology, with Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto as the leaders held bilateral talks
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to sign numerous deals, including defence and technology, with Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto as the leaders held bilateral talks to strengthen strategic ties on Tuesday.The leaders are expected to sign and renew around eight agreements spanning health, education, technology and defence, Bloomberg quoted Indonesian Foreign Minister Sugiono as saying to reporters late Monday.The meet is closely watched as India and Indonesia are expected to seal a long-discussed BrahMos missile agreement which become the latest link in New Delhi's latest link in a growing network of coastal missile deployments stretching across Southeast Asia.Also read: Modi-Prabowo talks: Indonesia to import Indian Astra missiles and expand BrahMos inventorySugiono further highlighted that Modi’s visit would build on the momentum from Prabowo’s earlier trip to India.“The key point is that the two leaders also have close chemistry,” he said, adding that the trip is a step toward further strengthening the friendship between Indonesia and India.Later on Tuesday, Modi is scheduled to address Indonesia’s parliament, a recent addition to some of his state visits, and attend an event with the Indian diaspora in Jakarta.The foreign minister said one of the understandings between the two countries involves cooperation on the rehabilitation or restoration of Prambanan Temple, Indonesia’s largest Hindu temple complex, which Modi is expected to visit before concluding his trip on Wednesday.India-Indonesia boost strategic tiesAmid the closely watched bilateral meeting, sources told ET that India will extend support to develop Indonesia specific EVMs in a big endorsement of its election management model."After the proven success of India’s air to air missile power in Operation Sindoor, Indonesia has decided to import Indian Astra missiles," the sources said."To strengthen critical mineral supply chain, India to invest in manufacturing of steel, nickel and rare earth permanent magnets in Indonesia. India and Indonesia to jointly develop Sabang port which overlooks the Strait of Malacca, and is 100 miles away from India’s Great Nicobar port project," they added.Also read: Modi in Indonesia: India forming a strategic BrahMos beltIndonesia has decided to expand its Brahmos inventory, the sources said as India has agreed to support Indonesia with more batteries.Among other areas of cooperation is the proposed linkage between India's Unified Payments Interface (UPI) and QRIS, the QR payment code launched by the Bank of Indonesia, which will allow Indian tourists visiting Bali and other Indonesian destinations to make payments in that country easily through their phones.Recently, PM Modi has undertaken strategic visits to nations in the Indian Ocean region as herecently bolstered ties with Seychelles and also met Mauritius leadership. The prime minister is now looking to elevate relationships with the nations on the eastern part of the Indian Ocean, having visited hosted Japanese PM Sanae Takaichi in New Delhi last week and visiting Indonesia, Australia and New Zealand this week.Ahead of his departure for the three-nation visit, PM Modi said that his visit will further strengthen India's Act East Policy, MAHASAGAR Vision as well as "our outlook towards a free and open Indo-Pacific.
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