 JAKARTA, July 7: India on Tuesday agreed to supply BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles and Astra air-to-air missiles to Indonesia, marking a significant expansion of defence ties as Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Prabowo Subianto underlined the importance of deeper bilateral partnership for a free and peaceful Indo-Pacific.
The two sides inked 14 agreements to enhance bilateral cooperation in a range of areas, including critical minerals and steel supply chains, maritime security, medicines, education, outer space, research and innovation, telecommunication and food security, further broadening ties amid growing geopolitical upheavals.
In another significant move, India and Indonesia agreed to jointly develop the strategically-located Sabang Port, which overlooks the Strait of Malacca and is around 100 miles away from India's Great Nicobar Port project.
"I express my support for the development of ports in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, as well as the development and expansion of Sabang Port in Aceh, as a strategic link between Sabang Island and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands in India," President Prabowo said.
After his talks with the Indonesian president, PM Modi said: "A golden era is now at the threshold for our two nations."
Modi landed in Jakarta on Monday to a red-carpet welcome in the first leg of his three-nation tour - that will also cover Australia and New Zealand - to shore up cooperation in sectors such as trade, energy, security and rare-earth minerals under the framework of the India-Indonesia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership of 2018. |
