"We are aware that Indonesia is also keen to build its defence industry. We are keen to share our experience in this endeavour," said Sandeep Chakravorty, Indian envoy to Indonesia, while addressing the seminar, which marked a significant milestone as the two nations celebrated 75 years of diplomatic relations.
He emphasised the potential for defence cooperation between India and Indonesia, citing India's successes and offering long-term partnerships.
“The Indian defence industry is today thriving under the clarion call of ‘Make in India – Make for the World’ initiative. The performance and order books of Indian defence companies are at an all-time high. Indian defence companies have achieved record exports of $2.63 billion in the last financial year and India is poised to become one of the leading defence exporters by 2030,” the Indian Envoy added.
Chakravorty reiterated India's commitment to supporting Indonesia's defence establishment and promoting mutual growth and cooperation.
He highlighted the strain on resources due to differing training and maintenance protocols, different operating philosophies and geopolitical factors affecting the availability of spare parts, resulting in significant operational challenges and costs.
Acknowledging India's burgeoning ecosystem of start-ups, particularly those venturing into defence and deep technology sectors, the envoy highlighted the Defence Ministry's Innovations for Defence Excellence (iDEX) initiative, which aims to foster innovation in the defence sector.
Recent milestones in defence cooperation include the procurement of BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles by the Philippines, with Indonesia and Thailand also expressing interest.
The elevation of the bilateral relationship to a 'Comprehensive Strategic Partnership' during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Jakarta in May 2018 underscores shared aspirations for maritime cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region, centred on the principles of ASEAN centrality and a free, open, and inclusive Indo-Pacific.
Planned military exercises such as the 42nd India-Indonesia Coordinated Patrol (IND-INDO CORPAT) in May and the Garuda Shakti and Samudra Shakti exercises later in 2024 will further deepen military-to-military engagement.
In addition, the docking of an Indian Navy Kilo-class conventional submarine, INS Sindhukesari, in Jakarta in February 2023 marked a significant milestone in the expansion of naval cooperation between the two nations.