India, Indonesia decide to step up defence, maritime cooperation
India and Indonesia on Wednesday decided to step up defence and maritime cooperation, upgrading ties to a comprehensive strategic partnership after a meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Indonesian President Joko Widodo in Jakarta.
India also agreed to develop the strategically important Sabang port, which is close to Andaman Islands, in the Indian Ocean. The two sides also unveiled a vision document for the Indo-Pacific region, the first of its kind between India and a southeast Asian country in a region where China is expanding its presence. “We discussed areas of strategic cooperation, ways towards ensuring better economic ties and closer cultural relations between our nations,” Modi tweeted.
The two sides also signed 15 pacts in areas included defence, outer space, railways and health. “India is a strategic defence partner...and we will continue to advance our cooperation in developing infrastructure, including at Sabang Island and the Andaman Islands,” Widodo told a news conference
NEW DELHI:
after the meeting.
The move to develop infrastructure and an economic zone at Sabang would allow India a larger role in the Indo-Pacific region as Sabang sits at the mouth of the Malacca Strait, one of the busiest shipping routes in the world.
Modi arrived in Jakarta on Tuesday, the first leg of his three-nation tour that will also take him to Malaysia and Singapore to boost India’s Act East Policy.With a coastline of 7,500km, India occupies a central position in the region. Indonesia, the largest archipelagic state in the world with a coastline of 108,000km, is a key country that connects the Indian Ocean to the Pacific Ocean.
The two leaders underlined the importance of a free, open and peaceful Indo-Pacific region as they discussed bilateral, regional and global issues, a joint statement issued after the meeting said.