Modi's Indonesia visit sees IIM Bangalore campus plan, health and security pacts

India and Indonesia signed multiple agreements in Jakarta during Narendra Modi's visit, including a plan for an IIM Bangalore campus in East Java. The pacts deepen cooperation in education, health, defence and maritime security as India broadens its regional engagement.

In Short

• The overseas management campus will be set up at Singhasari SEZ
• Drug regulators agreed to share standards knowledge and ease medical product access
• A health workforce pact will support fellowships and skilled worker mobility

India and Indonesia on Tuesday signed agreements in health, education and other sectors during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Jakarta. Among the key announcements was a plan to set up an overseas campus of the Indian Institute of Management Bangalore in Indonesia.

The agreements were part of nearly a dozen pacts signed during Modi's visit, which also covered defence, critical minerals and maritime security cooperation. Modi is in Indonesia on the first leg of his three-nation tour, which will also take him to Australia and New Zealand, as India seeks to strengthen trade and security cooperation.

Speaking at a joint press statement with Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto, Modi said, "We are going to establish an overseas campus of the prestigious Indian Institute of Management Bangalore in Indonesia. This will greatly benefit young people across the ASEAN region." The IIM Bangalore campus will be set up at the Singhasari Special Economic Zone in Indonesia's East Java province.

IIM Ahmedabad was the first premier Indian business school to open a campus outside India. It was launched in Dubai last year.

In the health sector, India's Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation and Indonesia's National Agency of Drug and Food Control signed a memorandum of understanding. The agreement is aimed at cooperation in medical products regulation, enabling knowledge exchange on global regulatory standards and improving market access for Indian medical products in Indonesia.

Modi said, "Our cooperation in the health sector will make a significant contribution to ensuring quality healthcare services in both our countries. The agreement concluded today will facilitate greater access for the people of Indonesia to India's high-quality and affordable medicines." The two countries also signed an Implementation Agreement on Health Workforce Collaboration, which will facilitate fellowship programmes for health professionals and support the mobility of qualified healthcare workers. "We will also contribute to the capacity building of Indonesia's doctors and healthcare professionals," Modi said.

Modi arrived in Jakarta on Monday to a red-carpet welcome before the start of his official engagements. The visit saw India and Indonesia sign multiple agreements, with education and health among the main areas of cooperation.

With PTI Inputs

- Ends