An IAF Su-30MKI - Astra on each of the two outboard pylons on each wing. (Photo: X)
New Delhi: In a boost for the “Make in India” initiative, Indonesia will import Astra beyond-visual-range (BVR) air-to-air missiles from India, following the missile's proven success during Operation Sindoor.
The agreement was among several pacts signed during bilateral talks between Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto in Jakarta on Tuesday.
Other agreements included the development of Indonesia-specific electronic voting machines (EVMs), additional batteries of BrahMos missiles, Indian investment in the manufacturing of steel, nickel, and rare earth permanent magnets in Indonesia, and joint development of Sabang port, which overlooks the Strait of Malacca and lies just 100 miles from India’s Great Nicobar port project.
“I am thankful to President Subianto for the warm welcome. We will work together in security, education, and the maritime sector,” Modi said at the joint press briefing. “A golden chapter in Indo-Indonesia ties has begun. Our ties have improved in recent years, with a focus on the blue economy and maritime security. We have also signed a major deal in steel and other critical minerals, and on supply chain resilience,” he added.
Read also: What’s on Modi’s six-day tour of Indonesia, Australia and New Zealand
Indonesia conferred on Modi its highest civilian honour, the “Bintang Adipurna.” With this, Modi has now received 34 of the highest international honours conferred by various countries.
Modi also raised the Palestine issue, reaffirming New Delhi’s support for a two-state solution.
Beyond security, agreements spanning finance, education, and health were also signed. Recognising the importance of rare earth elements for the automotive, electronics, and clean energy sectors, India will invest in manufacturing steel, nickel, and rare earth permanent magnets in Indonesia to strengthen critical mineral supply chains.
Development of Sabang Port
Amid the growing strategic importance of maritime trade in an evolving security landscape, the Strait of Malacca stands as a crucial choke point – second in prominence only to the much-discussed Strait of Hormuz.
Nearly 40 percent of India’s maritime trade passes through this strait, making it strategically vital for New Delhi. Indonesia sits at its gateway, and Modi’s visit, his first substantial engagement of this kind since 2018 – signals ambitions beyond diplomacy, particularly around clean and green energy cooperation with Indonesia, home to the world's largest nickel reserves.
For India, Indonesia is a key partner in New Delhi’s Act East Policy and its broader vision for a free, open, and inclusive Indo-Pacific.
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