India follows path of development, not expansionism: PM Modi at Indonesian parliament

Jakarta, Jul 7 (PTI) India pursues a path of development, not expansionism, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said at the Indonesian parliament on Tuesday, amid growing concerns in South East Asia over China's expansionist behaviour in the Indo-Pacific region. In his address to the lawmakers that included President Prabowo Subianto and top ministers, Modi called for further expansion of ties between the two nations and said the world will witness history in the making when 140 crore people of India and Indonesia's 29 crore citizens march together for shared prosperity. "India is a strong advocate of a free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific. India believes in freedom of navigation in the Indo-Pacific," the prime minister said. "India is a nation that follows the path of development, not expansionism," he said against the backdrop of rising concerns in South East Asia over China's increasing military muscle-flexing in the South China Sea and beyond. In his remarks, Modi touched upon the various facets of India-Indonesia ties since the 1950s, including how the two countries played a key role in the famous Bandung Conference of 1955, and said that "unlimited opportunities" are waiting for the two sides in many sectors. The 1955 Bandung Conference, hosted by Indonesia, brought together leaders from 29 Asian and African countries to promote world peace and advance cooperation among newly independent nations. It is widely regarded as laying the foundation for the Non-Aligned Movement during the Cold War. "For India and Indonesia, the sea has never represented distance. It has always been a bridge between our nations and remains central to our shared future," Modi said in his address. "When India and Indonesia stand together, they strengthen the world's faith that democracy creates opportunities, democracy builds trust, and democracy shapes the future," the prime minister said. Modi said India, Indonesia and the Indian Ocean are names that reflect the deep ties that bind the two nations. "The goodwill and trust that India and Indonesia share must create new opportunities for our citizens," he said. The prime minister also spoke about anti-terror cooperation between the two nations under the existing framework of a joint working group. India and Indonesia can strengthen peace-loving forces by expanding cooperation to counter cyber threat, terror funding and radicalisation, he said. Highlighting the current geopolitical environment, the prime minister said India firmly believes that reform of the UN Security Council can no longer be delayed. Modi landed in Jakarta on Monday to a red-carpet welcome in the first leg of his three-nation tour -- which will also cover Australia and New Zealand -- to shore up trade and security cooperation under the framework of the India-Indonesia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership of 2018. His address at the Indonesian parliament on Tuesday came hours after he held wide-ranging talks with President Subianto, with the two sides signing nearly a dozen agreements to expand cooperation in areas including defence, critical minerals, technology, food security, medicines and maritime security. PTI MPB ABD