By Prime Minister Narendra Modi received a ceremonial aerial welcome from the Indonesian Air Force on his arrival in Indonesia, with two fighter aircraft escorting his plane through Indonesian airspace before it landed in Jakarta. The rare gesture underscored the growing strategic partnership between the two nations ahead of high-level bilateral discussions.
The Indian Prime Minister’s aircraft was accompanied by an Indonesian Air Force F-16 fighter and a Sukhoi-30 combat jet, which flew alongside the official flight before safely escorting it to Jakarta. Such military escorts are often reserved for visiting heads of government and reflect the importance attached to the visit by the host nation.
The F-16, a single-engine multirole fighter developed in the United States, has long been a key part of Indonesia’s air combat fleet. Flying alongside it was the Russian-origin Sukhoi-30, a twin-engine fighter aircraft also operated by the Indonesian Air Force. India, too, operates an advanced version of the Sukhoi-30MKI, making the escort symbolic of shared defence capabilities between the two countries.
Landed in Jakarta. I’m touched by President Prabowo Subianto’s gesture of welcoming me at the airport.
In 2018 we elevated our relations to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, which has benefitted our people.
During this visit, President Prabowo Subianto and I will hold… pic.twitter.com/rG61TGGDdY
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) July 6, 2026
Shortly after arriving in Jakarta, Prime Minister Modi thanked Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto for the warm reception. In a message shared on social media, the Prime Minister said he was touched by the Indonesian President’s personal gesture of welcoming him at the airport and expressed confidence that the visit would further deepen bilateral ties.
Modi noted that India and Indonesia elevated their relationship to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in 2018, leading to closer cooperation across several sectors. He said his discussions with President Prabowo would focus on expanding collaboration in areas ranging from trade and investment to defence, connectivity and regional security.
A major highlight of the visit will be the leaders’ planned visit to the historic Prambanan Temple complex in Yogyakarta. The visit is expected to reinforce the centuries-old civilisational and cultural links shared by India and Indonesia, while also promoting people-to-people engagement. The Prime Minister is also scheduled to interact with members of the Indian diaspora during his stay.
Defence cooperation is expected to remain an important element of the bilateral agenda. Earlier this year, Indonesia confirmed that it had reached an agreement with India for the procurement of the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile system, marking another milestone in strategic cooperation between the two countries. If implemented, Indonesia would become one of the latest countries to strengthen defence ties with India through the acquisition of indigenous military technology.
The Philippines became the first international customer for the BrahMos missile system after signing a deal worth nearly 375 million US dollars in 2022. Indonesia’s decision reflects India’s growing role as a defence manufacturing partner in the Indo-Pacific region.
With strategic, economic and cultural cooperation expanding steadily, Prime Minister Modi’s visit is expected to further strengthen one of India’s most important partnerships in Southeast Asia and give fresh momentum to cooperation across multiple sectors.
