India's Modi comes to Jakarta next week

India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Indonesia next week, part of a wider swing through the Asia-Pacific. According to an Indian official, Rudrendra Tandon, speaking on 3 July, Modi will be in Indonesia on 8 and 9 July before travelling on to Australia and New Zealand. As Channel News Asia reports, the trip is part of India's "Act East" policy, its long-running effort to build closer ties with Southeast Asia and the Pacific.

In Indonesia, Modi will hold talks in Jakarta and then visit the Prambanan Temple in Yogyakarta, a ninth-century Hindu site. India and Indonesia plan to work together to protect such heritage, a nod to the deep historical links between the two cultures. The visit builds on a trip President Prabowo Subianto made to India for its Republic Day celebrations the year before, when he was the guest of honour. After Indonesia, Modi joins the third India-Australia Annual Summit in Melbourne on 10 July, then closes the tour in New Zealand on 11 July with Prime Minister Christopher Luxon.

For Jakarta, the visit is a chance to deepen ties with a fast-growing partner. India is one of the world's largest economies and buyers of goods, and closer relations can bring more trade, investment, and cooperation on security in the Indian Ocean.

Why it matters

Closer India-Indonesia ties can open new markets for Indonesian exporters and add options in a region where big powers compete for influence. If you work in trade, tourism, or culture, watch for deals coming out of the Jakarta talks, especially on heritage and the wider economy. It is also a sign that Indonesia is spreading its friendships wider, rather than relying on any single major power.