India, Indonesia Deepen Defence Ties as BrahMos Talks Reach Advanced Stage
Rajnath Singh hosts Indonesian minister; missile export, joint production on table.
India and Indonesia significantly upgraded their defence partnership on Thursday as Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and his Indonesian counterpart General Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin co-chaired the third India-Indonesia Defence Ministers’ Dialogue in New Delhi. The high-level meeting, part of Sjamsoeddin’s two-day official visit, marked a decisive push towards deeper military-industrial and operational collaboration between the two key Indo-Pacific maritime nations.
Both ministers highlighted the momentum generated by Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto’s Republic Day visit in January 2025, during which he served as Chief Guest alongside 352 Indonesian armed forces personnel who marched in the parade. Officials confirmed that negotiations for the export of Indian-made BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles to Indonesia have reached an advanced stage, with Rajnath Singh symbolically gifting a BrahMos replica to his counterpart as a gesture of intent.
The dialogue reaffirmed a shared vision for a free, open, and rules-based Indo-Pacific, with complete alignment between ASEAN’s Outlook on the Indo-Pacific and India’s Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative. The two sides agreed to intensify joint efforts in maritime domain awareness, cyber defence, and disaster response through multilateral forums including the Indian Ocean Rim Association, currently chaired by India, and the ADMM-Plus mechanism.
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Defence industry cooperation emerged as a major focus, with Indonesia welcoming India’s proposal to establish a Joint Defence Industry Cooperation Committee. The panel will facilitate technology transfer, co-development, co-production, and streamlined certification processes. Military-to-military ties will expand through increased participation in bilateral and multilateral exercises such as Samudra Shakti, Garuda Shakti, and the expanded Super Garuda Shield series.
In a unique gesture of goodwill, India announced the gifting of horses and a ceremonial carriage from the Army’s Remount Veterinary Corps to Indonesia. The ministers also explored collaboration in defence medicine, submarine technology, and peacekeeping operations, while reiterating support for a just resolution to the Palestine issue. Both sides expressed firm commitment to sustained high-level engagement to ensure long-term stability and security across the Indo-Pacific region.
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