Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday called for a new chapter in India-Indonesia relations based on a “Ganga-Mahakam Vision”, urging the two countries to deepen cooperation across trade, technology, maritime security, connectivity and the voice of the Global South during his historic address to the Parliament of Indonesia.
With this, Modi became the first Indian Prime Minister to address the Indonesian Parliament, describing India and Indonesia as “natural and trusted partners” linked by centuries of civilisational, cultural and maritime ties.
Beginning his address, Modi thanked Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto for his presence and Parliament Speaker Puan Maharani for her invitation and contribution to strengthening bilateral ties. He also conveyed greetings on behalf of India’s 1.4 billion people to the Indonesian lawmakers.
Stressing the shared democratic ethos of the two countries, Modi said India, which he described as the “Mother of Democracy,” was committed to strengthening democratic linkages with Indonesia.
Reflecting on the long history of interactions between the two nations, the Prime Minister said the Indian Ocean had connected India and Indonesia for more than two millennia through the exchange of ideas, commerce, culture and faith.
He said the enduring values of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam (the world is one family) and Indonesia’s national motto Bhinneka Tunggal Ika (Unity in Diversity) continue to guide the partnership between the two democracies. “Our shared historical trajectories, shared challenges and shared aspirations of our people bring India and Indonesia together as natural and trusted partners,” Modi said.
Highlighting India’s rapid development and economic transformation, Modi said the country’s vision of Viksit Bharat 2047 complemented Indonesia’s ambition of Golden Indonesia 2045 (Indonesia Emas 2045), creating significant opportunities for closer collaboration.
He called for expanding cooperation in trade and investment, connectivity, food and energy security, digital public infrastructure and emerging technologies, saying these sectors would shape the future of the bilateral partnership.
The Prime Minister also reaffirmed India’s commitment to working closely with Indonesia to strengthen the voice of the Global South and promote a free, open, inclusive and rules-based Indo-Pacific region.
In one of the key proposals of his address, Modi unveiled the concept of a “Ganga-Mahakam Vision” for future India-Indonesia engagement. Drawing inspiration from the Ganga in India and the Mahakam River in Indonesia, he said the new framework should build on the countries’ civilisational bonds while expanding cooperation across development, strategic trust, maritime prosperity and multilateral engagement.
He said the two countries should deepen their civilisational connect, learn from each other’s development journeys, strengthen security and strategic trust, work together for maritime prosperity and jointly amplify the voice of the Global South.
The address came during Modi’s state visit to Indonesia, which has witnessed a major expansion in bilateral cooperation. Earlier in the day, India and Indonesia signed multiple agreements across defence, space, healthcare, agriculture, digital technology, disaster management, education, critical minerals and maritime cooperation following delegation-level talks between Modi and President Prabowo.
India and Indonesia elevated their relationship to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in 2018 and have since expanded cooperation across political, economic, defence and cultural sectors. As leading democracies and maritime neighbours in the Indo-Pacific, both countries have increasingly coordinated on regional security, connectivity and multilateral initiatives through forums such as ASEAN, the East Asia Summit and the G20.
Modi’s address to the Indonesian Parliament underscored the deep civilisational bonds and shared democratic values that have shaped bilateral relations for centuries while reaffirming the commitment of both governments to elevate the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership into a broader strategic and developmental partnership for the future.