Jakarta, July 7: India and Indonesia have signed a landmark agreement for the supply of BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles to the Indonesian military, marking a significant expansion of bilateral defence cooperation and providing a major boost to India’s indigenous defence manufacturing sector.
The agreement was signed on Tuesday during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Indonesia, the first leg of his three-nation tour. Alongside the BrahMos deal, the two countries concluded a series of agreements covering defence cooperation, maritime security, healthcare, critical minerals and technology collaboration.
As part of the defence partnership, Indonesia is also set to procure India’s indigenously developed Astra air-to-air missile. Developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), the Astra is a beyond-visual-range missile designed to engage and destroy highly manoeuvrable enemy aircraft.
India is also likely to supply Indonesia with additional batteries of the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile, further strengthening defence ties between the two countries.
The two sides also finalised a framework for maritime safety and security cooperation, reinforcing collaboration in the maritime domain amid growing strategic engagement in the Indo-Pacific region.
Addressing the developments, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the growing trust between India and Indonesia continues to strengthen cooperation in defence, security and maritime affairs.
He stated that the agreements reached during the visit would enhance defence exchanges, disaster management cooperation and industrial collaboration between the two countries.
Beyond defence, India and Indonesia signed an agreement on minerals and technologies related to the steel supply chain, with the objective of strengthening cooperation in critical minerals.
Prime Minister Modi also announced that India’s affordable medicines would become more accessible to Indonesian citizens under the new understanding. He said India would contribute to the capacity building of doctors and healthcare workers in Indonesia.
The two countries are also expected to collaborate on the development of Indonesia-specific Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), extending India’s expertise in election technology to the Southeast Asian nation.
In a key diplomatic highlight of the visit, Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto conferred the “Bintang Adipurna of the Republic of Indonesia” upon Prime Minister Modi.
Instituted in 1959, the Bintang Adipurna is Indonesia’s highest civilian and military honour, awarded in recognition of extraordinary service. The conferment adds another international civilian honour to those received by the Indian Prime Minister during his tenure.
The agreements signed during the visit underscore the expanding strategic partnership between India and Indonesia across defence, maritime security, healthcare, industrial cooperation and critical technologies, while reinforcing India’s growing role as a defence exporter and strategic partner in the Indo-Pacific region.
