Celebrating 70 Years of Indonesia-India’s Diplomatic Tie

Sushma Swaraj

· 6 minutes read

In the long history of civilizational contact that spans thousands of years, 70 years may seem like the blink of an eye. However, these seven decades of engagement have effectively reconnected Indians and Indonesians. It has reignited the friendship that was first established through the same civilizational relations, and was strengthened through the shared fight against colonialism and struggle toward progress and prosperity.

Contact between India and Indonesia was first established thousands of years ago through the Ramayana, Mahabharata and Buddha. Palembang in Indonesia is an important point on the Buddhist pilgrimage towards Nalanda and Bodh Gaya.

Sufi traders and Islamic missionaries from Gujarat brought Islam to Indonesia in the 13th century. Language and literature, as well as the ikat and batik arts, strengthened this relationship. Trade flourished between our two countries. This is a bond of tolerance, with compassion and without violence. As evident through India’s Unity in Diversity or Indonesia’s Bhinneka Tunggal Ika, similar themes exists in our value systems and structures.

Indian-Indonesian Ties

Our shared history of colonialism, although tragic, in the end brought our peoples closer together. The founding fathers of our two nations worked closely with one another, sharing ideas and strategies, mutually inspired by one another’s struggle. The leaders of the two countries worked hand in hand to unite the developing world in rebuilding their economies. India hosted the 1947 Asian Relations Conference in New Delhi to promote an early statement on the Asian identity. Meanwhile, Indonesia hosted the Bandung Conference, where the newly independent Asian and African countries met in 1955.

Together, we helped write the closing chapter to colonialism and a new dawn in the Non-Aligned Movement, which established the South-South working relationship and the Asian-African solidarity. Proof of India’s bond with Indonesia exists in that Indonesian President Soekarno was received as a guest of honor during India’s first Republic Day celebration in 1950. This shared history reaffirms our leadership in global matters.

Indian-Indonesian ties have been influenced largely by history, culture, geopolitical realities and a shared Indo-Pacific vision. Our leaders engage in intensive contact and our bilateral relations have developed swiftly in politics, security and defense, commercial and cultural affairs, which is strengthened by India’s Look East policy.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit in 2018 was an important event in our bilateral relations, in which the leaders of the two countries decided to strengthen cooperation in all sectors by establishing the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and bringing our bilateral ties to a new era. During my visit to Indonesia in January 2018, I witnessed the energy and dynamics of our engagement.

Strategic priorities

The dozens of bilateral cooperation mechanisms we have built in various sectors, such as security, antiterrorism, trade, energy and agriculture, are further proof of the direction of our relationship. Other than official engagement, this relationship is also enriched by regular exchanges between the parliaments of the two countries.

Strong cooperation in defense and security has led to mutual trust and understanding between our two countries. The three security forces in India and Indonesia hold routine operational exercises alongside discussions on issues of common interest concerning regional security and information sharing.

We share maritime space in the Shared Vision of India-Indonesia Maritime Cooperation in the Indo-Pacific is in line with our SAGAR (Security and Growth for All in the Region) concept and President Joko Widodo’s Maritime Fulcrum policy. Strengthening connectivity between India and Indonesia is the primary strategic priority of our countries. The significant growth we have made in increasing the connectivity between the Andaman and Nicobar Islands in India and Aceh Province in Indonesia is an important indicator in this issue.

Between the largest economy in the world and the two fastest growing major economies in the world, it is evident that trade between the two countries are blooming. Indonesia is India’s largest trading partner in ASEAN; Indonesia is also an attractive destination for Indian investment. Several major Indian companies have a presence in Indonesia. Indonesian investors also have opportunities in various sectors in India, including infrastructure, petroleum refining and food processing.

This sustainable interpersonal relations help build ties between our civilizations. We work together in various fields, including arts and culture, literature, media and youth, to draw the people in our countries closer together.

Building on the strong foundation of our bilateral relations, cooperation between India and Indonesia continues to grow in regional and multilateral platforms. We have been working together actively in forums such as the ASEAN Regional Forum and the G-20 to ensure that our shared interests and the interests of other developing countries are protected.

Future cooperation

The millennia-long relations between the two countries and our peoples have matured, and we are currently enjoying a significant boost in bilateral relations. Separated by only 90 nautical miles at the shortest distance across the Indian Ocean, the same waves that wash onto our shores continue to transport trade and ideas between the two countries, as has been happening for centuries. As countries driven by the aspirations and hopes of our youthful populations, we are highly in tune with each other.

Ahead of our countries’ celebration of 70 years of diplomatic ties, we are committed to maintaining the momentum and carrying it forward in the 21st century and onward. At the peak of the Asian Century, this region requires civilizational powers like India and Indonesia to not only grow and emerge as major economies, but also to collaborate closely to mark the century and present ideas for the region and the world.

Bilaterally, we wish to continue this strong engagement at all levels and in all sectors. As countries with large populations and big dreams for development and progress, it is important for us to build a strong economic and development partnership that strengthens the flow of capital, trade, people and ideas between our countries. We need to mutually identify our needs so that our countries can work together in a mutually beneficial relationship. Based on this, we need to strengthen our engagement at multilateral, regional and international forums.

We live in the same space in the Indo-Pacific, which is home to many global opportunities and challenges. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has articulated our vision for an open, free and inclusive Indo-Pacific, which is also in line with Indonesia’s priorities. We need to improve our shared goals in this regard to fight for peace and prosperity in our regions and surrounding areas.

Our shared values and cultures have given us a unique perspective to share with the world. Our respective philosophies are imbued with visions of peace and harmony. We need to build upon these similarities and become exemplary models of pluralism, inclusivity and peaceful coexistence. Peace and stability are important prerequisites for progress and development everywhere, and terrorism remains a huge challenge for heterogeneous societies like ours. We need to work hand in hand to eliminate terrorism in all its forms.

Over the seven decades of our countries’ engagement, we have succeeded in jump-starting our missions of national development and, in the process, becoming an example for all developing countries. Today, as we stand at the beginning of a new era and the start of the Asian Century, I believe that our partnership will have more energy, enthusiasm and goals that reflect our closeness as maritime neighbors, in line with our comprehensive strategic partnership.

Sushma Swaraj, Minister of External Affairs, Government of India.

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