Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said India strongly advocates for an inclusive Indo-Pacific during a diplomatic visit to Jakarta [1].
The visit signals India's intent to deepen strategic ties with Indonesia to ensure regional stability and promote a free, open maritime environment.
Modi arrived in Jakarta on Monday, June 10, 2024 [2]. This visit served as the first leg of a three-nation tour [2]. On Tuesday, June 12, 2024, Modi met with Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto to discuss expanding economic and defense ties [1, 3].
During the discussions, Modi emphasized the strategic importance of regional partnerships. He said, "India strongly advocates for an inclusive Indo-Pacific" [1]. The prime minister also said, "ASEAN is at the core of India’s Act East Policy" [4].
The meeting focused on a dual agenda of bilateral growth and regional security. While some reports focused on the expansion of specific economic and defense ties [1], other accounts emphasized the broader goal of strengthening ASEAN-India cooperation to maintain a balanced regional order [4].
These diplomatic efforts coincide with wider international perspectives on the region's importance. Former Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the Indo-Pacific is the absolute center of the world [5].
Modi's engagement in Jakarta underscores a push for multilateralism in a region often characterized by tension between global superpowers. By anchoring the Act East Policy in ASEAN, India seeks to position itself as a primary security and economic partner in Southeast Asia.
“India strongly advocates for an inclusive Indo-Pacific.”
This diplomatic push reflects India's strategic effort to counterbalance regional hegemony by strengthening ties with non-aligned powers like Indonesia. By emphasizing an 'inclusive' Indo-Pacific, India is attempting to build a security architecture that relies on collective cooperation rather than exclusive military alliances, effectively utilizing its Act East Policy to secure economic corridors and maritime safety.
