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Modi to meet Prabowo for talks on defence, food security

Modi on his first trip to Indonesia since 2023 will visit the capital Jakarta and Yogyakarta on Tuesday and Wednesday, before heading to Australia and New Zealand.

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Jakarta
Tue, July 7, 2026 Published on Jul. 7, 2026 Published on 2026-07-07T12:14:14+07:00

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This handout photo taken and released on July 6, 2026 by the Presidential Palace shows President Prabowo Subianto (left) welcoming India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi upon his arrival at Halim Perdanakusuma Air Force Base in Jakarta. This handout photo taken and released on July 6, 2026 by the Presidential Palace shows President Prabowo Subianto (left) welcoming India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi upon his arrival at Halim Perdanakusuma Air Force Base in Jakarta. (AFP/Handout)

I

ndia's Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to meet President Prabowo Subianto on Tuesday, as the leaders of two of the world's most populous countries seek to finalise deals ranging from defence to food security. 

Modi on his first trip to Indonesia since 2023 will visit the capital Jakarta and Yogyakarta on Tuesday and Wednesday, before heading to Australia and New Zealand.

Modi will discuss with Prabowo memorandums of understanding on health, space, pharmaceuticals and food security, Sandeep Chakravorty, India's ambassador to Indonesia, told reporters last week. 

"Some are in process, some will be finalised in time, some may get delayed but there will still be outcomes related to the visit," he said.

Prabowo met Modi in New Delhi last year, where they signed a wide range of agreements.

Modi said on Monday that while in Yogyakarta he would visit Prambanan, Indonesia's largest Hindu temple complex and a UNESCO World Heritage site. The ambassador said both leaders would announce the start of restoration work there. 

The two countries hope to conclude certain agreements on BrahMos, an India-Russia joint venture missile manufacturer, Chakravorty said. Defence talks would also cover maritime awareness and piracy, he added. 

In ​2023, BrahMos said it was ​in advanced discussions with Indonesia on a deal worth between $200 million and $350 million for its missile systems. It has already signed deals with neighbours Vietnam and the Philippines. 

India is a major buyer of palm oil and coal from Indonesia, a global commodities powerhouse, which in May announced plans to bring exports of its strategic commodities under central government control to boost state earnings. 

Chakravorty said India did not have big concerns about the export centralisation move, adding: "We understand the reasons and we believe that we are part of the solution." 

The July 6-11 tour comes after Modi's visits to Mauritius in March last year and Seychelles last month, reflecting what India's external affairs ministry described as a shift in diplomatic focus to the eastern maritime region under its 'Act East' policy.

Modi will then travel to Australia on July 8-10 for the third India-Australia Annual Summit, an institutional dialogue established under the two countries' Comprehensive Strategic Partnership launched in 2020.

Modi will finish the tour in New Zealand on July 10 and 11, where he will hold talks with Prime Minister Christopher Luxon.

The India–New Zealand Free Trade Agreement (FTA), signed on April 27 this year, eliminated duties on 100 percent of Indian exports to New Zealand while securing a $20 billion investment commitment from New Zealand over the next 15 years.

 

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