BrahMos, EVMs And Sabang Masterstroke As India And Indonesia Team Up

Sabang overlooks the northern entrance of the Strait of Malacca, which is one of the world's busiest maritime highways

07 Jul 2026, 12:52 · NDTV

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India will supply BrahMos and Astra missiles to Indonesia, enhancing defence ties
India and Indonesia will jointly develop Sabang Port near the strategic Malacca Strait
Sabang Port offers India strategic access without sovereignty costs, aiding naval presence

How does India's presence in Sabang counter China's Malacca dilemma?
New Delhi:

When Prime Minister Narendra Modi held bilateral talks with Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto in Jakarta, the outcomes were nothing short of historic. The discussions yielded massive wins for maritime security and the strengthening of critical mineral supply chains. The biggest headline grabber was defence: India is set to supply its lethal BrahMos and Astra missiles to Indonesia.

With this, Indonesia becomes the third country to sign an agreement to buy the BrahMos cruise missiles, which is a massive testament to the weapon's world-class operational prowess and growing global demand.

But defence exports were just the beginning of this growing partnership. The two nations also shook hands on a pair of truly landmark agreements that will reshape the Indo-Pacific: the joint development of the strategically crucial Sabang Port and the sharing of India's homegrown electronic voting machine (EVM) technology.

Together, these deals mark a massive leap in India's footprint in Southeast Asia. Let's break down why this matters.

Sabang Port Is A Strategic Masterstroke

India and Indonesia have agreed to jointly develop the Sabang Port, located on Weh Island right off the northern tip of Sumatra. Now, the real significance of Sabang isn't about how big the port is; it is all about where it sits.

Sabang overlooks the northern entrance of the Strait of Malacca, which is one of the world's busiest maritime highways. Every year, anywhere between a quarter to 40 per cent of global seaborne trade passes through it. More importantly, roughly 80 per cent of China's crude oil imports flow through this exact chokepoint.

Sabang Port is located less than 100 nautical miles from India's upcoming Great Nicobar transshipment hub. By holding Great Nicobar on India's side and having a presence in Sabang on the Indonesian side, New Delhi gets an unprecedented strategic grip on both flanks of the strait. This is a crucial advantage, especially as the Chinese Navy pushes deeper into the Indian Ocean.

China's 'Malacca Dilemma'

For over two decades, Chinese strategists have worried about their heavy dependence on this narrow stretch of water, a vulnerability famously termed the "Malacca dilemma" during former President Hu Jintao's era.

To understand the broader geopolitical chessboard, look at how China tries to pressure India elsewhere. Just a few days back, at a seminar in Islamabad, a Chinese commentator warned India over the Indus Water Treaty. Victor Gao, Vice President of a Beijing-based think tank, claimed that if India "weaponises" water against Pakistan, China has the capacity to block or alter rivers flowing into India from Tibet. Against the backdrop of such continental threats, India's maritime grip on the Malacca Strait serves as a powerful counter-leverage.

More Than Just Trade

Indian defence experts have been quite open about the fact that Sabang is about much more than just commercial shipping. Because it sits on Indonesian soil, India gets a major strategic presence without the political baggage or cost of full sovereignty.

A developed port at Sabang can easily host surveillance systems and serve as a forward logistics base for the Indian Navy. This complements India's $9 billion megaproject at Great Nicobar which includes the Galathea Bay International Container Transshipment Terminal, a dual-use airport, and military infrastructure at Campbell Bay.

Add this to the fact that India and Indonesia have been running coordinated naval patrols since 2002. In 2018, India even secured military access to Sabang. With China's submarines popping up more frequently in the Indian Ocean, a facility linked to India right at the mouth of the strait seriously narrows Beijing's room for manoeuvre.

Exporting Democracy: The EVM Deal

While securing India's maritime backyard with ports and BrahMos missiles was a major highlight, another deal hit much closer to home for citizens. The new pact opens the doors for Indonesia to use India's EVM technology for their next general elections in 2029.

Indonesia is the world's third-largest democracy, after India and the US. Currently, they still use paper ballots for massive, single-day simultaneous elections. Imagine a voter getting five different ballot papers to choose their president, vice president, lawmakers and local officials covering nearly 20,000 posts across the country.

It is the largest single-day electoral exercise globally, and managing paper ballots for it is a massive logistical challenge. Their last election in February 2024, which brought Subianto to power, was done exactly this way.

India has successfully used EVMs for nationwide general elections since 2004 (and in state polls since the 1980s). Upgrading to EVMs will save Indonesia immense time, money, and workforce.

Indonesia isn't the first country to look toward New Delhi for election tech. Bhutan already conducts its polls using Indian-made machines, and they are also in limited use in places like Nepal and Namibia.

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