Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday thanked Indonesia for standing firmly with India after the Pahalgam terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir last year, in which 26 tourists were gunned down.
Addressing
the Indonesian Parliament during his three-day visit to Jakarta, PM Modi stressed that both countries shared the same ideology when it came to terrorism.
“On issues such as terrorism, we have always stood together. Last year, when the terrorist attack took place in Pahalgam in India, Indonesia stood firmly with India. I express my gratitude for that. Our two countries are working together on counter terrorism through the Joint Working Group,” he said.
The Prime Minister also said that when India and Indonesia stand together, the world’s faith grows stronger that democracy creates opportunities. “We are among the world’s most youthful societies. We are both major maritime powers. We are a strong voice of the Global South,” he added.
PM Modi also emphasised that the two countries are bound by a common history rooted in Ramayana and Mahabharata and in the ancient wisdom of Nalanda. He said the goodwill between the two countries should create new opportunities for their citizens.
‘India Doesn’t Believe In Expansionism’
Prime Minister Modi also asserted that India believed in prosperity rather than expansionism, putting development at the centre of New Delhi’s policy towards Southeast Asia. He further called for a free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific region, describing it as a cornerstone of India’s Act East policy.
The Prime Minister also used a symbolic phrase to describe the bilateral relationship, stating, “There can be no copyright on our friendship,” drawing applause from members of the Indonesian Parliament.
This came shortly after PM Modi was conferred with the Bintang Republik Indonesia Adipurna, Indonesia’s highest civilian award, by President Prabowo Subianto in recognition for his contributions towards strengthening bilateral ties and cooperation.
Prabowo and Modi also held delegation-level talks to review their bilateral relations and discussed ways to expand cooperation in trade, defence, maritime security, digital technology, health, education and cultural exchanges.
The two countries also signed an agreement to strengthen cooperation in election management, with India set to support the development of customised Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) for Jakarta.
