PM Modi leaves for Australia after Indonesia visit

Jakarta, Jul 8 (PTI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday left for Australia after concluding a three-day visit to Indonesia, during which he inked 14 agreements to boost cooperation in critical minerals, maritime security and other key sectors. During the visit, Modi held bilateral talks with Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto, who dropped him off at the airport. Both leaders underlined the importance of a deeper bilateral partnership for a free and peaceful Indo-Pacific. They also called for a "zero-tolerance" approach to counter terrorism, demanded action against globally proscribed terrorists. Both the sides inked 14 agreements to enhance bilateral cooperation in a range of areas, including critical minerals and steel supply chains, maritime security, medicines, education, outer space, research and innovation, telecommunication and food security, further broadening ties amid growing geopolitical upheavals. In another significant move, India and Indonesia agreed to jointly develop the strategically-located Sabang Port, which overlooks the Strait of Malacca and is around 100 miles away from India’s Great Nicobar Port project. Modi landed in Jakarta on Monday to a red-carpet welcome in the first leg of his three-nation tour – that will also cover Australia and New Zealand – to shore up cooperation in sectors such as trade, energy, security and rare-earth minerals under the framework of the India-Indonesia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership of 2018. On Tuesday, at a community event, Modi said that India is moving forward with the mantra of 'reform, perform and transform'. He also underlined that the country's self-reliance is a multiplying force not only for Indonesia but for the entire ASEAN region. Speaking at an Indian diaspora event in Jakarta, Indonesian President Prabowo said that he has Indian DNA as he called on his people to learn from the experience of India, which has strongly influenced the civilisation and culture of the Southeast Asian nation. President Prabowo said he was honoured to be the chief guest at India's Republic Day in 2025, just three months after assuming office. Before his departure on Wednesday, Prime Minister Modi, along with Indonesian President Prabowo, visited the majestic Prambanan Temple complex in Yogyakarta, marking the inauguration of a joint conservation project for this UNESCO World Heritage Site. Modi thanked Indonesia and its people for preserving the "grand heritage" of the Prambanan Temple complex. The visit to the historic site by the two leaders came a day after India and Indonesia exchanged a Letter of Intent to start the project on conservation and restoration of the temple complex with assistance from India. From Indonesia, Modi will travel to Melbourne from July 8-10 at the invitation of the Prime Minister of Australia, Anthony Albanese. "My visit will strengthen our Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, and I shall, in my discussions with Prime Minister Albanese, take forward our relations in the areas of defence and security, trade and investments, education and mobility and people-to-people ties," he had said in his departure statement. Modi said, in Melbourne, he would interact with the Indian diaspora, which is an important pillar of the strategic partnership. PTI AMS