‘India supporting Indonesia defence industrialisation’

Indian Ambassador to Indonesia Sandeep Chakravorty talks to Jayanth Jacob about the forthcoming visit of Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto as Chief Guest for India’s 76th Republic Day. He reflects on the significance of the bilateral relationship between India and Indonesia. Excerpts:

President Sukarno was India’s first Republic Day guest, and now, President Subianto will be the guest for the 76th Republic Day. What does it say about our long-standing bilateral ties?

President Sukarno was the chief guest at the first Republic Day. That was significant because India, along with the US, played a big role in Indonesia’s independence. There were good ties with President Sukarno, Vice-President Mohammad Hatta, and PM Sutan Sjahrir. There was a special Asian Relations Conference, and then the role played by Biju Patnaik (he flew Sjahrir and Hatta out of Java so they could broadcast Indonesia’s plight to the rest of the world). Those were the heydays of our relationship.

Now, as we celebrate the 75th anniversary of our bilateral relationship, President Prabowo Subianto is our chief guest. Adding to the historical importance is that Indonesia is for the first time sending a marching contingent — 352 soldiers will march down Rajpath.

Indonesia is an archipelagic nation comprising more than 17,000 islands located between the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean. Geography makes it a ‘maritime fulcrum’. How important is Indonesia for India’s maritime strategy?

Indonesia is an Indo-Pacific country, which extends over three time zones. It straddles the Malacca Strait and the South China Sea, essential sea lanes. Maritime fulcrum is a concept developed by the previous president, Joko Widodo, who wanted to create the ports to make Indonesia a hub. Other countries like Singapore and Malaysia are becoming the hubs of international trade. The concept is to attract global trade and port traffic to Indonesia. Still, some way has to be covered. The idea is active.

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