Indonesian Foreign Minister, Jaishankar discuss bilateral relations

EXternal affairs government minister S Jaishankar and his bahasa indonesia vis-a-vis Sugiono reviewed isobilateral dealings and discussed ways to take forward multilateral cooperation on Sunday, ahead of a planned visit to Jakarta next month by Prime Minister Narendra Modi that is expected to focus on advancing trade and security ties.Jaishankar and Sugiono, a close aide of Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto, co-chaired the eighth bilateral Joint Commission Meeting in New Delhi and discussed political ties, defence and security, maritime issues, trade, fintech, pharmaceuticals, fertilisers, critical minerals, tourism and education. The Joint Commission Meeting was held after a gap of four years.“Our comprehensive strategic partnership has witnessed strong growth in recent years,” Jaishankar said in a social media post after the meeting. “Also exchanged perspectives on regional developments, advancing our multilateral coordination and deepening India-ASEAN ties.”Sugiono said on social media that Indonesia is looking forward to Modi’s upcoming visit, which will be an “important opportunity to further deepen our cooperation and deliver tangible benefits for our peoples.” He listed trade, maritime security, digital connectivity, infrastructure and health among Indonesia’s key priorities in the bilateral partnership.He also said in televised remarks during the meeting that Sunday’s talks are expected to lead to a “lot of outcomes” and prepare for Modi’s trip to Jakarta.Indonesia is set to be part of Modi’s three-nation tour in July, which will also take him to New Zealand and Australia. The trip comes at a time when India and Indonesia have both signalled an intention to play a greater role in shaping the landscape of the Indo-Pacific region, including through joint initiatives with Australia.Prabowo was the chief guest at India’s Republic Day celebration in January 2025 and maritime security cooperation between the two countries has grown rapidly in recent years. The two sides are also in advanced negotiations on selling the BrahMos cruise missile system, jointly developed by India and Russia, to the Indonesian armed forces.The external affairs ministry said in a statement that Prabowo’s visit to India last year “provided renewed impetus” to bilateral ties, and the two sides had reaffirmed their commitment to closer cooperation and coordination at regional and multilateral forums.Indonesia is a “key pillar” of India’s Act East policy and the bilateral comprehensive strategic partnership continues to grow across established and new areas of cooperation, the ministry said.Indonesia is currently India’s second largest trade partner in the Asean grouping and two-way trade has increased from $4.3 billion in 2005-06 to $28.15 billion in 2024-25. India is the second largest buyer of coal and the biggest buyer of crude palm oil from Indonesia.