F-16, Sukhoi-30 escort PM Modi’s aircraft into Indonesian airspace.
PM Narendra Modi said he was touched by President Prabowo Subianto’s warm airport welcome, calling it a gracious and memorable gesture.
- Two jets (F-16 and Sukhoi-30) escorted PM Modi’s aircraft at arrival; the gesture signalled a warm welcome and showcased Indonesia’s mixed fleet.
- The Sukhoi-30 sighting resonated with India because India operates the Sukhoi-30MKI variant adapted for its needs.
- PM Modi thanked President Prabowo Subianto publicly, emphasizing personal warmth in the diplomatic exchange.
- The visit builds on the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (2018) and aims to expand cooperation across sectors.
- Modi and Prabowo will visit Prambanan Temple to strengthen cultural connections and engage the Indian community in Indonesia.
- Indonesia’s planned purchase of BrahMos highlights deepening defence ties; the Philippines was the first foreign buyer in 2022 for about $375 million.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s arrival in Jakarta was marked by a dramatic and symbolic air escort that underscored the warmth and growing strategic camaraderie between India and Indonesia. As his aircraft descended against a clear blue sky, two Indonesian Air Force fighters — an F-16 and a Sukhoi-30 — closed in and flew alongside, forming a salute of speed and precision that read like a message: you are welcome here. The image was at once cinematic and diplomatic; it signaled respect for a visiting head of government and also reflected Jakarta’s confidence in showcasing its diverse military hardware.
The F-16, a nimble single-engine fighter of American design, has long been a workhorse for many air forces around the world. Its presence in the escort highlighted Indonesia’s interoperability with Western platforms and its continued reliance on proven, versatile aircraft. The Sukhoi-30, by contrast, is a heavy, two-seat, twin-engine Russian-designed fighter known for its range and power — a reminder of Indonesia’s historical ties to Russian platforms. For observers in New Delhi, the sight carried an added layer of resonance: India operates its own variant, the Sukhoi-30MKI, tailored heavily to Indian needs with indigenous avionics and weapons fit. The juxtaposition of the two jets alongside PM Modi’s aircraft thus also symbolized a broader story of defence diversity and mutual recognition in the Indo-Pacific.
Shortly after landing, PM Modi acknowledged the gesture in a post on X, saying he was “touched by President Prabowo Subianto’s gesture of welcoming me at the airport.” The wording was simple but meaningful — a personal note that translated the aerial display into a human moment of hospitality. Modi’s public gratitude reinforced the optics of a visit that is as much about people-to-people and cultural ties as it is about strategic cooperation.
Modi’s message stressed that this arrangement “has benefitted our people,” and framed the current visit as a bid to “add even more momentum to this partnership across diverse sectors.” That phrasing signals a broad agenda: from trade and investment to defence and cultural exchange. It also reflects the pragmatic diplomacy both nations practice, balancing ties across major powers while deepening bilateral collaboration.
Cultural outreach is on the itinerary too: Modi and President Prabowo plan to visit the Prambanan Temple complex in Yogyakarta. That choice is deliberate. Prambanan — a UNESCO World Heritage site and an emblem of Indonesia’s Hindu past — offers a poignant backdrop for conversations that seek to bind societies as well as states. For a visiting Indian prime minister, the visit carries emotional resonance and provides an opportunity to connect with the Indonesian public, scholars, and the sizable Indian diaspora who live and work across the archipelago.
Defence ties are a practical pillar of the evolving partnership. Indonesia’s March announcement of an agreement to acquire India’s BrahMos cruise missile system underlined New Delhi’s emergence as a defence exporter and Jakarta’s interest in diversifying its deterrent capabilities. The Philippines, as a precedent, became the first foreign buyer of BrahMos in 2022 under a deal worth nearly $375 million, indicating regional appetite for the system and New Delhi’s growing role as a strategic supplier.
The Jakarta visit, then, is both symbolic and substantive: an aerial salute that opened a visit aimed at translating warm optics into concrete cooperation across culture, commerce, and defence. It is an example of contemporary diplomacy where spectacle, history, and strategic calculation meet — and where leaders try to convert good theatre into lasting ties.