Jokowi and Modi’s budding bromance

Mustafa Izzuddin and C Raja Mohan
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PREMIUM

Singapore / Tue, July 9, 2019 / 10:12 am

Close ties: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi (left) shakes hands with Indonesian President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo at the Presidential Palace in Jakarta during Modi’s state visit to Indonesia on May 30, 2018. (Courtesy of Indian Embassy/.)

The reelection of India’s Narendra Modi and Indonesia’s Joko “Jokowi” Widodo got India-Indonesia relations off to a good start after the two leaders congratulated each other on social media. The stage was set for them to renew a comprehensive strategic partnership signed in 2018. As rank outsiders and true commoners with humble origins who fought their way to the top of the leadership heap, Jokowi and Modi seem to have conjured up a budding bromance. Jokowi was a former furniture businessman and Modi was a tea seller before they joined politics. Their chemistry will be critical in taking India-Indonesia relations forward during their second terms in office. Visiting each other’s countries within the first year of their second terms in office could enable both leaders to hit the ground running to propel India-Indonesia relations to new bilateral heights...