India's view of the world · A factual referenceLast updated 12 May 2026 · Edition 04
COUNTRY RELATIONSHIP · INDONESIA
India & Indonesia
COMPREHENSIVE STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPACT EAST POLICYASEAN CENTRALITYDEFENCE COOPERATIONPALM OIL MAJOR IMPORTERBRICS MEMBER
India and Indonesia share one of Southeast Asia's most significant bilateral relationships, elevated to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in 2018. The two countries, both large democracies with shared civilisational connections through Hinduism and Buddhism — visible in Bali, Prambanan and the Ramayana across Indonesian culture — anchor India's Act East Policy in the maritime Indo-Pacific. Bilateral trade exceeded $28 billion in recent years, with Indonesia as India's largest palm oil supplier. Defence ties have deepened, and Indonesia joined BRICS in January 2025, creating new multilateral convergence.
COOPERATION AREAS
Where India and Indonesia actually work together
5 active areas of cooperation, as of July 2026. Click any card for the full brief.
TRADE & INVESTMENT
By the numbers
FY2023-24 figures. Large deficit driven by palm oil and thermal coal imports. Source: DGFT, Ministry of Commerce. A Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA) remains under negotiation.
~$29bn
Total bilateral trade in goods
~$8bn
India exports to country
~$21bn
India imports from country
Trade trajectory · USD bn
$29bnin FY24 · click a bar to compare years
TOP TRADED ITEMS
AGREEMENTS & MILESTONES
The relationship since 1950, in 8 dates
CURRENT STATE
Where things stand, 2026
The India-Indonesia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership is active and deepening. Defence cooperation, digital economy collaboration and energy trade are the growth areas. The palm oil trade imbalance and the stalled CECA negotiations remain structural challenges. Indonesia's BRICS accession in January 2025 opens a new multilateral coordination channel. The civilisational connection provides an enduring foundation that distinguishes this relationship from purely transactional bilateral partnerships.
SIGNALS TO WATCH
On track / positive momentum
In progress / worth watching
Stalled or facing headwinds
Not yet started / unclear
IN CONTEXT
How India and Indonesia cross paths multilaterally
