Prime Minister Narendra Modi was on Tuesday conferred Indonesia's highest civilian honour, the Bintang Adipurna of the Republic of Indonesia, as India and Indonesia elevated their strategic partnership by signing 20 agreements spanning defence, technology, education, healthcare and maritime cooperation.

The honour was presented by Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto during an official ceremony at the Presidential Palace in Jakarta. President Prabowo said the award recognises Modi's contribution to strengthening bilateral ties and expanding cooperation between the two countries.

Defence cooperation emerged as the centrepiece of the visit. Indonesia agreed to procure additional units of India's BrahMos supersonic cruise missile, becoming the third foreign country after the Philippines and Vietnam to acquire the missile system. Jakarta also decided to purchase India's indigenous Astra air-to-air missile, further deepening defence ties between the two nations.

The agreements were signed during delegation-level talks between the two leaders, reflecting growing strategic convergence in the Indo-Pacific region.

Defence Partnership Expands

Prime Minister Modi described the bilateral relationship as entering a "golden chapter", saying the growing trust between the two countries would strengthen cooperation in defence, maritime security, disaster management and industrial collaboration.

Both sides agreed to enhance defence exchanges, expand coast guard cooperation and work jointly to improve maritime security across the Indian Ocean. The leaders also discussed increasing collaboration in the blue economy, port development and maritime trade.

India and Indonesia are also expected to jointly develop the strategically significant Sabang Port, located near the Strait of Malacca, a key global shipping route close to India's Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

Technology, Education and Healthcare Cooperation

Beyond defence, the two countries announced several initiatives focused on technology and human resource development.

India will support Indonesia in developing Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), marking another step in institutional cooperation between the world's two largest democracies. Both countries also signed agreements covering artificial intelligence, digital public infrastructure, telecommunications and startup collaboration.

Prime Minister Modi announced that a campus of the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Bangalore will be established in Indonesia, aimed at benefiting students across the ASEAN region.

In healthcare, India pledged to improve access to affordable Indian medicines in Indonesia while extending training and capacity-building support for Indonesian doctors and healthcare professionals.

Support for Regional Stability

Addressing a joint press conference, Modi reiterated India's support for a two-state solution to the Israel-Palestine conflict and stressed that dialogue and diplomacy remain the most effective path towards lasting peace.

He also reaffirmed India's commitment to ASEAN centrality and highlighted that democratic values and diversity continue to form the foundation of India-Indonesia relations.

President Prabowo praised several of Modi's governance initiatives, saying Indonesia has studied and adopted a number of Indian development programmes because of their success in improving public welfare.

Cultural and Historic Links

India and Indonesia share centuries-old civilisational ties dating back nearly 2,000 years. Hindu and Buddhist traditions have significantly influenced Indonesian culture, particularly in Bali and Java.

Later during his visit, Prime Minister Modi is scheduled to address the Indian diaspora in Jakarta before visiting Prambanan Temple, Indonesia's largest Hindu temple and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, marking his first visit to the historic complex.

The visit is expected to further reinforce India's Act East policy while expanding strategic, economic and cultural engagement with one of Southeast Asia's most important partners.