Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto said to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi that he has copied many of India's development programs during a recent visit.

The admission signals a deepening strategic alignment between the two largest democracies in Asia. By adopting India's growth trajectory, Indonesia seeks to scale similar successes within its own domestic infrastructure, and social welfare systems.

The exchange took place in June 2026 during a banquet lunch attended by various dignitaries in Indonesia [1]. President Prabowo said he admires the Indian Prime Minister's career and the specific policy frameworks implemented under his leadership [2].

"I follow your career and I copied many of your programmes," Prabowo said [2]. "I don't mind admitting, because if it succeeds for hundreds of million people [3] with the same background as Indonesia."

Prabowo said that the similarity in the demographic and social backgrounds of the two nations makes India's model a viable blueprint for Indonesian growth [2]. The president said that he had specifically looked at programs that managed to lift large populations out of poverty or improve public services [3].

This public acknowledgement of India's influence occurs as both nations seek to strengthen ties in trade, security, and technology. The visit in June 2026 also included high-level meetings between External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and Indonesian Foreign Minister Sugiono to further coordinate diplomatic efforts [1].

The banquet served as a platform for Prabowo to highlight the practical application of India's governance style in Southeast Asia. He said that the ability to implement large-scale programs across a diverse population is the primary reason for his interest in the Indian model [2].

“"I follow your career and I copied many of your programmes."”

This shift toward adopting Indian development models suggests that Indonesia views India's recent economic and social strategies as more applicable to its own needs than traditional Western models. It marks a pivot toward 'South-South' cooperation, where developing nations exchange governance blueprints to achieve rapid industrialization and poverty reduction.