Modi tells Indonesia India backs development, not expansionism

Jakarta,UPDATED: Jul 7, 2026 16:30 IST

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said India follows a path of development, not expansionism, as he addressed the Indonesian parliament and called for deeper ties between the two countries. In remarks delivered amid concerns in South East Asia over China’s expansionist behaviour in the Indo-Pacific, Modi said India supports a free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific and believes in freedom of navigation in the region.

Modi’s address came hours after wide-ranging talks with President Prabowo Subianto, after which India and Indonesia signed nearly a dozen agreements to expand cooperation in areas including defence, critical minerals, technology, food security, medicines and maritime security. He told lawmakers, in the presence of Subianto and top ministers, that the world would witness history in the making when India’s 140 crore people and Indonesia’s 29 crore citizens move together for shared prosperity.

“India is a strong advocate of a free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific. India believes in freedom of navigation in the Indo-Pacific,” Modi said. “India is a nation that follows the path of development, not expansionism,” he added.

In his remarks, the prime minister referred to different facets of India-Indonesia relations since the 1950s and said “unlimited opportunities” were waiting for the two sides in many sectors. He also recalled the role played by the two countries in the 1955 Bandung Conference, hosted by Indonesia, which brought together leaders from 29 Asian and African countries to promote world peace and cooperation among newly independent nations and is widely seen as laying the foundation for the Non-Aligned Movement during the Cold War.

“For India and Indonesia, the sea has never represented distance. It has always been a bridge between our nations and remains central to our shared future,” Modi said. He added, “When India and Indonesia stand together, they strengthen the world’s faith that democracy creates opportunities, democracy builds trust, and democracy shapes the future.” Modi also said India, Indonesia and the Indian Ocean are names that reflect the deep ties between the two nations, and said, “The goodwill and trust that India and Indonesia share must create new opportunities for our citizens.”

The prime minister also spoke about anti-terror cooperation under the existing framework of a joint working group. He said India and Indonesia could strengthen peace-loving forces by expanding cooperation to counter cyber threats, terror funding and radicalisation. Referring to the current geopolitical environment, Modi said India firmly believes that reform of the UN Security Council can no longer be delayed.

Modi arrived in Jakarta on Monday to a red-carpet welcome in the first leg of his three-nation tour, which will also take him to Australia and New Zealand, with a focus on strengthening trade and security ties under the India-Indonesia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership of 2018. In his address and meetings on Tuesday, Modi underlined India’s Indo-Pacific position, the shared democratic values of the two countries and the scope for broader cooperation across strategic and economic sectors.

With PTI Inputs

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