Jakarta, July 7: Prime Minister Narendra Modi was on Tuesday conferred Indonesia’s highest civilian honour, the Bintang Adipurna of the Republic of Indonesia, in recognition of his outstanding contribution to strengthening bilateral ties between the two nations.
The prestigious award was presented by Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto during an official ceremony in Jakarta, underscoring the growing Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between India and Indonesia.
The Bintang Adipurna, also known as the Medal of Honour of the Republic of Indonesia, is the country’s highest civilian decoration and is awarded to individuals who have made exceptional contributions to the unity, prosperity and development of Indonesia. With the honour, Prime Minister Modi joins a distinguished group of global leaders recognised for fostering stronger international relations with Indonesia.
Prime Minister Modi arrived in Jakarta on Monday as part of his three-nation tour covering Indonesia, Australia and New Zealand. In a rare diplomatic gesture, his aircraft was escorted by Indonesian Air Force F-16 and Su-30 fighter jets upon entering Indonesian airspace. President Prabowo personally received the Indian Prime Minister alongside senior Cabinet ministers before a ceremonial welcome at the Istana Merdeka Presidential Palace.
During the visit, the two leaders are expected to hold wide-ranging discussions aimed at expanding cooperation in defence, maritime security, trade and investment, critical minerals, advanced technology and digital infrastructure. Both countries reaffirmed their commitment to ensuring a secure, stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific region.
A key focus of the talks is the joint development of the strategically located Sabang Port, near the Strait of Malacca. The project is expected to enhance maritime connectivity, logistics cooperation and regional security while complementing India’s planned infrastructure development at the Great Nicobar Port.
Defence cooperation is also set to receive a major boost. Indonesia is expected to expand the procurement of India’s BrahMos supersonic cruise missile systems, while discussions are underway on integrating the missiles into its defence network. The two sides are also exploring Indonesia’s acquisition of the indigenous Astra Beyond Visual Range Air-to-Air Missile (BVRAAM), developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), for deployment on its Su-30 fighter aircraft.
In the economic sphere, India and Indonesia are likely to deepen collaboration in critical minerals, with proposed Indian investments in nickel, steel and rare earth permanent magnet manufacturing—key sectors supporting electric vehicles, clean energy and advanced manufacturing. India is also expected to assist Indonesia in developing customised Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), further expanding cooperation in digital governance and election technology.
Prime Minister Modi’s visit marks another significant step in India’s Indo-Pacific outreach, reinforcing strategic, economic and technological cooperation between the two democracies while advancing shared regional security and sustainable growth objectives.
