Prime Minister Narendra Modi undertook a state visit to Indonesia from July 6 to 8, 2026, at the invitation of President Prabowo Subianto, marking his fourth visit to the country and the first bilateral visit since ties were elevated to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in 2018. During the visit, Modi became the first Indian Prime Minister to address the Indonesian Parliament, where he unveiled the “Ganga-Mahakam Vision”, a five-pillar roadmap for future engagement. The visit yielded 20 major outcomes, including 14 MoUs and agreements spanning defence, critical minerals, space, education, and cultural heritage, alongside six significant announcements.
India and Indonesia: A Comprehensive Strategic Partnership
India and Indonesia share ties that go back more than two millennia, rooted in ancient trade, the spread of Hinduism and Buddhism, and the influence of Indian epics such as the Ramayana and Mahabharata on Indonesian art and culture. Formal diplomatic relations were established in 1950, the same year Indonesia’s first President Sukarno served as the chief guest at India’s first Republic Day.
The relationship was elevated to a Strategic Partnership in 2005 and further upgraded to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in May 2018 during PM Modi’s visit to Jakarta. This framework expanded cooperation across political, economic, defence, and cultural domains. Indonesia is a central pillar of India’s Act East Policy, launched in 2014, and both countries are committed to a free, open, and rules-based Indo-Pacific.
Indonesia is India’s second-largest trading partner in ASEAN, with bilateral trade standing at approximately $29 billion in 2023-24. The two countries also coordinate closely in multilateral forums such as ASEAN, the East Asia Summit, the G20, and the Indian Ocean Rim Association.
President Prabowo Subianto was the chief guest at India’s 76th Republic Day celebrations in January 2025, marking the first Republic Day guest of PM Modi’s third term. PM Modi’s July 2026 visit was a reciprocal state visit that built on the momentum generated by President Prabowo’s India visit.
PM Modi Conferred the Bintang Adipurna
During the visit, President Prabowo conferred upon PM Modi the Bintang Adipurna of the Republic of Indonesia, the country’s highest civilian honour. The award, officially known as the Star of the Republic of Indonesia (Bintang Republik Indonesia), was instituted in 1959 and is awarded to individuals who have rendered exceptional service to the unity, continuity, and prosperity of Indonesia.
PM Modi dedicated the honour to the people of India and the enduring friendship between the two countries. The recognition places PM Modi among a select group of foreign leaders who have received this distinction, including former US President Barack Obama and Japanese Emperor Akihito. This was PM Modi’s over 30th international honour, making him the most internationally decorated Indian leader in history.
The Ganga-Mahakam Vision: A Five-Pillar Roadmap
In a historic address to a joint sitting of the Indonesian Parliament, PM Modi became the first Indian Prime Minister to speak before the country’s legislature. He was invited by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Dr. Puan Maharani. In his speech, Modi unveiled the Ganga-Mahakam Vision, named after the Ganga river of India and the Mahakam river of Indonesia, symbolising the flowing, enduring connection between the two civilisations.
The vision rests on five pillars:
Civilisational Connect: Modi proposed the launch of an India-Indonesia Civilisational Dialogue to harness shared history as a foundation for future partnership.
Shared Development: Both countries committed to complement each other’s development journeys through collaboration in technology, digital public infrastructure, artificial intelligence, and startup ecosystems.
Security and Strategic Trust: The two nations agreed to deepen defence and security cooperation, addressing challenges such as terrorism, cyber threats, and maritime security. Modi described India-Indonesia strategic trust as a “pillar of stability in the Indo-Pacific.”
Maritime Prosperity: Modi emphasised converting shared maritime geography into shared prosperity, stating, “From Sabang to Great Nicobar, from the Malacca Gateway to Indo-Pacific, we will create new opportunities for connectivity, logistics, blue economy, maritime security and trade resilience.”
Voice of the Global South: Both countries committed to working together for a more inclusive and representative global order, where development is equitable, technology is accessible, and global governance is just.
Prambanan Temple: Civilisational Diplomacy in Action
PM Modi, accompanied by President Prabowo, visited the Prambanan Temple complex in Yogyakarta, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1991. Built in the 9th century by the Sanjaya Dynasty, Prambanan is the largest Hindu temple complex in Indonesia, dedicated to the Trimurti - Lord Brahma, Lord Vishnu, and Lord Shiva.
The two leaders jointly inaugurated a restoration and conservation project for the temple, to be led by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI). The project, spanning 10 years, will focus on restoring the pervara (ancillary) temples surrounding the main shrines and will be executed in collaboration with the Indonesian Heritage Agency.
India’s engagement in restoring Prambanan is part of a broader pattern of cultural diplomacy in Southeast Asia. ASI has previously carried out conservation work at the My Son Sanctuary in Vietnam (2014), Angkor Wat and Ta Prohm in Cambodia (2022), and the Ramna Kali Temple in Bangladesh (2021). In Indonesia itself, ASI had earlier documented the Borobudur Temple compounds.
Modi described the initiative as a “shining example of the enduring civilisational bonds” between the two countries. The project builds on an understanding reached during President Prabowo’s 2025 visit to India.
20 Key Outcomes: Defence, Trade, Technology, and Beyond
The visit produced 20 major outcomes, comprising 14 MoUs and agreements and 6 major announcements. These covered a wide spectrum of bilateral cooperation.
Defence and Security
The most significant defence outcome was the Cooperation on the BrahMos Missile System. India and Indonesia agreed to collaborate on the innovation, development, and global competitiveness of the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile, a joint venture between India’s DRDO and Russia’s NPOM. An Air-to-Air Missile Cooperation Agreement was also signed for the supply of Astra beyond-visual-range air-to-air missiles. These agreements strengthen India’s defence exports and support the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative.
A framework for Maritime Safety and Security Cooperation was extended, and India agreed to deploy an Indonesian Liaison Officer at the Information Fusion Centre - Indian Ocean Region (IFC-IOR), enhancing maritime domain awareness in the region.
Minerals and Industry
India and Indonesia signed an MoU on Cooperation in Minerals and Technology of Steel Supply Chain, promoting investment in extraction and processing of critical minerals. A Strategic Joint Venture between SAIL and PT Krakatau Steel will establish a stainless-steel slab manufacturing facility in Indonesia, creating jobs and advancing joint production. An MoU on Rare Earth Magnets was also signed between India’s NFTDC, Midwest Ltd, and PT PERMINAS.
Space, Telecom, and Technology
The two sides extended the Framework Agreement on Cooperation in Outer Space for Peaceful Purposes and signed an MoU on cooperation in telecommunications technologies and services, including wireless and quantum systems. An MoU on research, technology, and innovation cooperation was also exchanged.
Health and Agriculture
A Healthcare Workforce Collaboration agreement and an MoU between CDSCO and BPOM on medical products regulation were signed. An MoU on Agriculture and Allied Sectors was exchanged, and India committed to supplying 100 tonnes of high-quality DWR 162 wheat seeds to Indonesia to support food security.
Disaster Management and Elections
An MoU was signed between NDMA and Indonesia’s National Agency for Disaster Management covering risk assessment, response, and recovery. An MoU between the Election Commission of India and Indonesia’s General Elections Commission (KPU) was also signed for sharing electoral best practices.
Digital and Economic Initiatives
India announced the launch of the Indonesia Open Network (ION), based on the Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC) architecture developed in India. This will enable interoperable e-commerce platforms in Indonesia.
IIM Bangalore Branch Campus in Indonesia
In a landmark education initiative, PM Modi announced the establishment of a branch campus of the Indian Institute of Management Bangalore (IIM Bangalore) in Indonesia, to be located at the Singhasari Special Economic Zone (SEZ). This is IIM Bangalore’s first overseas campus and the second IIM to set up an international campus, after IIM Ahmedabad’s Dubai campus.
The campus will serve learners from Indonesia and the wider ASEAN region, offering management education, executive training, and access to IIM Bangalore’s Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs). An MoU between IIM Bangalore and the Singhasari SEZ was signed on July 6, 2026, in Jakarta. PM Modi described the initiative as part of a “golden chapter” in India-Indonesia relations that would have a lasting impact on the 21st century.
Cultural and Educational Diplomacy
India and Indonesia announced the commemoration of the “Tagore-Dewantara Year of Cultural and Educational Diplomacy”, honouring Rabindranath Tagore and Ki Hajar Dewantara, two towering figures in education and culture from both nations. This year-long programme will feature cultural exchanges, academic collaborations, and educational initiatives.
Strengthening the Indo-Pacific Anchor
PM Modi’s Indonesia visit was the first leg of a three-nation tour that also included Australia and New Zealand, reflecting India’s focus on deepening engagement across the Indo-Pacific. Indonesia occupies a unique strategic position, sitting astride the critical Malacca, Sunda, and Lombok straits, through which a significant portion of global maritime trade and India’s energy imports pass.
The visit demonstrated that India and Indonesia share converging interests in maintaining a free, open, and rules-based Indo-Pacific. The MAHASAGAR framework (Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security Across the Regions), which serves as India’s institutional vision for maritime security, aligns closely with Indonesia’s ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific (AOIP).
Both sides agreed to accelerate the Indonesia-India Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA) and review the ASEAN-India Trade in Goods Agreement (AITIGA) to boost bilateral trade. They also welcomed progress on establishing a cross-border QR payment linkage between the two countries, which will improve transaction efficiency and financial sector cooperation.
Key Takeaways
- PM Modi undertook a state visit to Indonesia from July 6-8, 2026, his fourth visit to the country and the first bilateral visit since the elevation of ties to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in 2018.
- He became the first Indian Prime Minister to address the Indonesian Parliament and unveiled the Ganga-Mahakam Vision, a five-pillar roadmap covering civilisational connect, development, security, maritime prosperity, and the Global South.
- PM Modi was conferred the Bintang Adipurna of the Republic of Indonesia, the highest civilian honour of Indonesia, instituted in 1959.
- The visit produced 20 outcomes including 14 MoUs and agreements covering defence (BrahMos missiles, Astra missiles), critical minerals, space, telecom, health, agriculture, and disaster management.
- India will establish a branch campus of IIM Bangalore at the Singhasari SEZ in Indonesia, the institute’s first overseas campus.
- The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) will lead a 10-year restoration project at the Prambanan Temple, a 9th-century UNESCO World Heritage Site in Yogyakarta.
