First ever “India-Indonesia Defence Industry Exhibition-cum-Seminar” was organised in Jakarta on 30th April 2024 by Embassy of India, Ministry of Defence, Government of India and Ministry of Defense, Republic of Indonesia which marked a keystone bilateral defence cooperation event in the series of programmes being organised during the 75th year of establishment of diplomatic ties between the two maritime neighbours.
36 prominent defence companies from India participated in the event including 12 Defence Public Sector Undertakings (DPSU or SOEs) and 24 private companies, along with several Indonesian Defence State Owned Enterprises and Private Defence establishments.
Ambassador Sandeep Chakravorty during his inaugural remarks highlighted that the Government of India is playing a crucial role in ensuring a strong, secure and self-reliant nation as India is poised to become the world’s third-largest economy.
He highlighted about the Innovations for Defence Excellence (iDEX) initiative, which is nurturing a vibrant defence innovation eco-system to bolster India’s self-reliance in defence technologies. iDEX is bridging the gap between the military and the startup eco-system.
The guests were impressed as prominent Indian companies such as BrahMos, Larsen & Toubro, Bharat Dynamics Limited, Bharat Electronics presented their products and services. A total of 50 exhibitors showcased their state-of-art technology and innovations during the event.
Top leadership of Indonesian MoD, Military, Coast Guard and defence companies participated in the Exhibition-cum-Seminar. This high-level engagement underscores the commitment to fostering partnerships between the Indian and Indonesian defence ecosystems.
Natarajan, Director General (Defence Production), Government of India shed light on the remarkable achievements of the Indian defence sector in the recent years.
Indeed, Indian defence sector has come a long way with the defence exports value rising from US$ 560 million in 2017 to achieving record exports of US$ 2.63 billion in 2023.
Needless to say, India is poised to become one of the leading defence exporters by 2030.
Major General Piek Budyakto, Director General (Defense Potential) represented Ministry of Defense, Indonesia.
He praised the ever-growing ties between India-Indonesia defence relations and strong bond shared between both countries in defence and security domain.
The vibrant defence cooperation between India and Indonesia got a fillip during the visit of Narendra Modi, Prime Minister of India to Jakarta in May 2018, when India and Indonesia elevated their ties to “Comprehensive Strategic Partnership”.
Both countries also agreed on the “Shared Vision of India-Indonesia Maritime Cooperation in the Indo-Pacific”; thus, they share a similar vision for a free, open, and inclusive Indo-Pacific region which respects ASEAN centrality.
A collaborative approach to defence development is poised to strengthen their collective maritime security posture.
Furthermore, in 2024, 42ndIndia-Indonesia Coordinated Patrol (IND-INDO CORPAT) is scheduled to take place in May.
Military Exercise “Garuda Shakti” and Navy Exercise “Samudra Shakti” are planned to take place towards the end of 2024, thereby, further strengthening the institutional bilateral mechanisms between both countries.
This India-Indonesia Defence Industry Exhibition-cum-Seminar marks a significant step forward in the strategic partnership between the two nations.
By fostering closer collaboration in the defence sector, India and Indonesia can ensure regional stability and contribute to a more secure Indo-Pacific, which is need of the hour.
