Why India and Indonesia Matter More to Each Other Than Ever Before
A Summary of Satish Mishra’s Essay Civilisational Diplomacy between India and Indonesia: An Idea Whose Time Has Come
As Prime Minister Narendra Modi visits Indonesia in July 2026, a thought-provoking new essay by political analyst Satish Chandra Mishra offers timely insights into why India–Indonesia relations are entering one of their most important phases in modern history.
In Civilisational Diplomacy between India and Indonesia: An Idea Whose Time Has Come, Mishra argues that while the two countries have shared cultural links for over two thousand years, their partnership today is no longer driven by history alone. Instead, it is increasingly shaped by common strategic interests in an evolving Indo-Pacific, expanding economic cooperation, and shared democratic values.
Beyond Shared Heritage
For many people, India and Indonesia are connected through familiar symbols—the Ramayana, Prambanan, Borobudur, Bali, Sanskrit influences, and centuries of maritime trade across the Indian Ocean.
Mishra acknowledges this remarkable civilizational heritage but argues that it should not be viewed merely as nostalgia. Rather, it provides a foundation of trust upon which both countries are building a modern strategic partnership.
History, in this view, becomes an asset that supports contemporary diplomacy rather than replacing it.
Why the Relationship Matters Today
According to the essay, several global developments have brought India and Indonesia closer together.
The rapid transformation of the Indo-Pacific has made maritime security, resilient supply chains, and regional stability priorities for both countries. As two major democracies located on either side of the Indian Ocean, India and Indonesia share an interest in maintaining freedom of navigation, strengthening regional cooperation, and preserving a rules-based international order.
Mishra also notes that both nations value strategic autonomy. Neither seeks exclusive alliances, yet both recognise the importance of working together while maintaining independent foreign policies.
A Growing Economic Partnership
The relationship is also becoming increasingly commercial.
India is one of the world’s fastest-growing major economies, while Indonesia is Southeast Asia’s largest economy and a critical supplier of commodities including coal, palm oil and nickel.
The essay highlights expanding opportunities in sectors such as renewable energy, pharmaceuticals, digital technology, infrastructure, electric vehicles, battery manufacturing and critical minerals.
As both governments seek to diversify trade and investment, economic cooperation is expected to become an increasingly important pillar of the relationship.
Security Cooperation Has Quietly Expanded
One of the less visible but most significant developments has been the steady growth of defense and maritime cooperation.
The essay points to joint naval exercises, maritime security collaboration, hydrographic cooperation and India’s access to Indonesia’s Sabang Port near the entrance to the Malacca Strait as examples of how bilateral ties have expanded well beyond cultural exchanges.
These initiatives reflect growing trust between two countries that occupy strategically important positions in the Indo-Pacific.
Modi’s 2026 Visit: More Than Symbolism
Prime Minister Modi’s upcoming visit to Indonesia is expected to reinforce this broader trajectory.
Alongside high-level discussions with President Prabowo Subianto, the visit is expected to include a community reception in Jakarta and a visit to Prambanan Temple, where India is collaborating with Indonesia on restoration efforts through the Archaeological Survey of India.
These engagements symbolize the dual nature of the relationship: one rooted in shared heritage while increasingly focused on strategic cooperation, economic partnerships and regional stability.
What It Means for the Indian Community
For the Indian diaspora in Indonesia, these developments carry practical significance.
Closer bilateral relations can create new opportunities for businesses, professionals, educators, students, researchers and entrepreneurs operating between the two countries.
As cooperation expands across trade, technology, education, tourism and cultural exchange, the Indian community has an increasingly important role to play in strengthening people-to-people ties that complement government initiatives.
In many ways, the diaspora serves as a living bridge between India and Indonesia.
An Idea Whose Time Has Come
Mishra concludes that India and Indonesia are no longer connected simply because of a shared past. They are becoming partners because they face many of the same opportunities and challenges in the twenty-first century.
History provides the foundation. Shared strategic interests provide the direction.
As Prime Minister Modi visits Indonesia this month, the relationship appears poised to enter a new chapter—one that combines ancient civilisational links with a modern partnership focused on security, prosperity and regional cooperation.
This article is a summary of “Civilisational Diplomacy between India and Indonesia: An Idea Whose Time Has Come“ by Satish Chandra Mishra, published by the Arthashastra Institute Indonesia.
We encourage readers interested in India–Indonesia relations, geopolitics and the Indo-Pacific to read the full paper for a deeper understanding of this evolving partnership.
About the Author
Dr. Satish Chandra Mishra is the Founder and Executive Director of the Arthashastra Institute Indonesia, an independent think tank based in Bali focusing on India–Indonesia relations, political economy, and Indo-Pacific strategic affairs. An economist educated at the University of Oxford and the University of Cambridge, he has held senior positions with the OECD, USAID, and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), where he played a significant role in Indonesia’s reform-era policy discourse. A prolific writer and political analyst, Dr. Mishra has spent over two decades studying Indonesia’s political and economic transformation and is a strong advocate of strengthening India–Indonesia ties through strategic cooperation, economic engagement, and civilisational diplomacy.
