Jakarta: Prime Minister Narendra Modi received a ceremonial reception in Jakarta on Tuesday as he commenced an official visit to Indonesia focused on strengthening ties between the two countries, IANS reported.
Modi was welcomed along his procession to the Merdeka Palace by schoolchildren waving the flags of India and Indonesia. Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto personally greeted the prime minister at the palace; the two leaders embraced before the national anthems of both nations were played.
Talks To Boost Defence, Minerals, Digital Ties
Later on Tuesday, Modi and President Prabowo are due to hold bilateral talks aimed at reinvigorating the India‑Indonesia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership across several priority areas. The discussions are expected to target deeper cooperation in defence and maritime collaboration, critical minerals, food security and the digital economy. The meeting will also assess progress since the partnership was elevated in May 2018.
Modi, who arrived in Jakarta on Monday as part of a three‑nation tour that includes Australia and New Zealand, noted he was moved by President Prabowo’s gesture of meeting him at the airport.
“I’m touched by President Prabowo Subianto’s gesture of welcoming me at the airport,” he wrote on X. He added: “In 2018, we elevated our relations to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, which has benefited our people. During this visit, President Prabowo Subianto and I will hold discussions aimed at adding even more momentum to this partnership across diverse sectors.”
Prambanan Temple Visit
The leaders will also travel to Yogyakarta to visit the Prambanan Temple complex, Indonesia’s largest Hindu temple site and a UNESCO World Heritage location.
Modi said the visit would “strengthen the cultural ties between our two nations even further,” and that he was “very much looking forward to the opportunity to interact with the Indian community” while in Indonesia.
India’s ambassador to Indonesia, Sandeep Chakravorty, has said both leaders are expected to announce the start of restoration work at Prambanan during the trip.
Modi last met President Prabowo in New Delhi in 2025, when the two countries signed a set of agreements intended to broaden strategic and economic cooperation. The Jakarta stop is the opening leg of Modi’s three‑nation tour, after which he will travel on to Australia and New Zealand for further high‑level engagements.
