Jakarta: India pursues a path of development, not expansionism, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said at the Indonesian parliament on Tuesday, amid growing concerns in South East Asia over China’s expansionist behaviour in the Indo-Pacific region.
In his address to the lawmakers, which included President Prabowo Subianto and top ministers, Modi called for further expansion of ties between the two nations and said the world will witness history in the making when 140 crore people of India and Indonesia’s 29 crore citizens march together for shared prosperity.
“India is a strong advocate of a free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific. India believes in freedom of navigation in the Indo-Pacific,” the prime minister said.
“India is a nation that follows the path of development, not expansionism,” he said against the backdrop of rising concerns in South East Asia over China’s increasing military muscle-flexing in the South China Sea and beyond.
The prime minister, talking about shared historical trajectories of the two nations, said the shared challenges and aspirations of the people bring India and Indonesia together as “natural and trusted” partners.
Modi, touching upon the various facets of India-Indonesia ties since the 1950s, including how the two countries played a key role in the famous Bandung Conference of 1955, said that “unlimited opportunities” are waiting for the two sides in many sectors.
The 1955 Bandung Conference, hosted by Indonesia, brought together leaders from 29 Asian and African countries to promote world peace and advance cooperation among newly independent nations. It is widely regarded as laying the foundation for the Non-Aligned Movement during the Cold War.
“For India and Indonesia, the sea has never represented distance. It has always been a bridge between our nations and remains central to our shared future,” Modi said in his address.
“When India and Indonesia stand together, they strengthen the world’s faith that democracy creates opportunities, democracy builds trust, and democracy shapes the future,” the prime minister said.
Highlighting the deep civilisational and maritime ties between the two countries, Modi recalled that for over two millennia, the Indian Ocean has connected India and Indonesia through the exchange of ideas, commerce, culture and faith.
“The goodwill and trust that India and Indonesia share must create new opportunities for our citizens,” he said.
The prime minister also spoke about anti-terror cooperation between the two nations under the existing framework of a joint working group.
India and Indonesia can strengthen peace-loving forces by expanding cooperation to counter cyber threat, terror funding and radicalisation, he said.
Delving into the current geopolitical environment, the prime minister said India firmly believes that reform of the UN Security Council can no longer be delayed.
Modi landed in Jakarta on Monday to a red-carpet welcome in the first leg of his three-nation tour — which will also cover Australia and New Zealand — to shore up trade and security cooperation under the framework of the India-Indonesia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership of 2018.
Conveying greetings on behalf of the 1.4 billion people of India to the parliamentarians, Modi stated that India as the “Mother of Democracy” was keen to strengthen democratic linkages with Indonesia.
Referring to what he described as the shared ideals of “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam” (the world is one family) and Indonesia’s “Bhinneka Tunggal Ika” (unity in diversity), he noted that these values continue to guide the partnership between the two countries.
Modi, showcasing India’s development journey and the synergies between the vision of “Viksit Bharat 2047” and “Golden Indonesia 2045”, called for deeper bilateral collaboration in trade, investment, connectivity, food and energy security, digital public infrastructure and emerging technologies.
India and Indonesia will celebrate the centenary of their Independence in 2047 and 2045, respectively.
Modi also reaffirmed India’s commitment to working with Indonesia to strengthen the voice of the Global South.
In keeping with centuries old civilisational ties, Modi called for a new beginning in India-Indonesia relationship based on the “Ganga-Mahakam” vision for bilateral engagement.
As part of this approach, he noted that the two countries must build on their civilisational connect, share their development pathways with each other, strengthen security and strategic trust, work for maritime prosperity, and strengthen the voice of the Global South.
According to the Ministry of External Affairs, the prime minister’s address at the Indonesian parliament underscored the enduring civilisational bonds and shared democratic values between India and Indonesia and reaffirmed the commitment of both countries to further deepen their Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.
The prime minister’s remarks at the Indonesian parliament came hours after he held wide-ranging talks with President Prabowo, with the two sides signing nearly a dozen agreements to expand cooperation in areas including defence, critical minerals, technology, food security, medicines and maritime security.
