The relationship between Indonesia and India is of crucial importance for the South Asian and Southeast Asian regions. With both countries emerging from consecutive and impactful G20 presidencies in 2022 and 2023 respectively, their complementary strengths have become more pronounced than ever before.
As two of the largest economies in the region, efforts to advance trade and investment ties could further strengthen regional growth and economic diversification. Bilateral trade between India and Indonesia has been on an upward curve, growing eightfold since 2005, and reaching US$ 38 billion in 2023. Both countries occupy strategic locations in the Indian Ocean and Pacific regions, and this opens up myriad possibilities for contributing to maritime stability and security. As recently as 2023, for instance, the Indian and Indonesian navies hosted the 41st edition of their Coordinated Patrol (CORPAT) exercise to bolster maritime cooperation.
Other major areas of ongoing and potential collaboration include climate action, where India and Indonesia are among the only four large economies on track to meet the Paris Agreement goals, based on their pledged climate targets for 2030; scientific and technological innovation, where both nations have been working together in multiple areas including R&D, the development of active pharmaceutical ingredients, digital health, and human resource harnessing and skilling since 2018; and the promotion of women’s empowerment and leadership, to which both countries remain firmly committed.
On 2–3 May 2024, the Observer Research Foundation (ORF) and the Foreign Policy Community of Indonesia (FPCI), with the support of the Embassy of India in Jakarta, will co-host a two-day international conference entitled “Jakarta Futures Forum: Blue Horizons, Green Growth”. As outlined below, the forum will comprise an inaugural plenary, and four thematic pillars.
The event will be attended by 100 participants, including representatives of governments, multilateral organisations, the private sector, civil society and the startup community. Each pillar will involve a mix of keynotes, plenaries/panel discussions, and experts ’conversations.
India and Indonesia, as populous nations facing significant climate challenges, have the potential to play a pivotal role in shaping climate action. The impact of climate change is being felt most acutely in the Global South, widening already-existing inequalities and undermining efforts for development. According to a World Bank report, the ecological crisis might drive up to 135 million people into poverty by 2030. Both countries have made major strides in climate action, particularly in areas of green transition, resource efficiency and sustainable management of marine resources. Collaborative efforts between India and Indonesia could significantly enhance their climate resilience and contribute to global efforts to mitigate climate change. Leveraging bilateral ties to share best practices, innovations, and policies would foster effective cooperation between various stakeholders, and accelerate progress to achieving sustainable development in the region.
Emerging markets like India and Indonesia have unlocked economic and social opportunities driven by strategic investments and policy support to accelerate digital innovation. These have led to transformative macroeconomic impacts driven by digital economies of scale. Digital public infrastructures (DPIs) and fintech innovations have been two key catalysts in this journey, enabling at-scale proliferating innovation and growth. While DPIs provide the foundational support on top of which newer innovations can be built, fintech helps capture digital dividends through integrated service transformation. Understanding the role of bilateral ties in leveraging complementarities across the digital transformation journeys of both countries would help strengthen cooperation across strategic sectors, accelerate market access for domestic companies, and provide an impetus to economic growth trajectories in both countries.
Gender equality stands as a critical cornerstone in the pursuit of resolving pressing global concerns such as economic instability, inadequate healthcare provisions, climate change repercussions, and the surge in conflicts worldwide. Women, particularly in the Global South, are disproportionately affected by these multifaceted challenges. They not only bear the brunt but can also bring forth invaluable insights and leadership crucial for their effective resolution. Investing in women-led development is, therefore, paramount in facilitating their ascension into leadership positions and ensuring their equitable participation in socio-economic life. This approach may prove integral to the realisation of the 2030
Agenda and serve as a catalyst for transformative change that benefits entire communities and societies worldwide.
17:00 - 18:00 (ID)
18:00 - 18:30 (ID)
Dr Samir Saran, President, Observer Research Foundation, India
Dr Dino Patti Djalal, Founder and Chairman, Foreign Policy Community of Indonesia, Indonesia
18:30 - 18:45 (ID)
Dr Curie Maharani Savitri, Executive Director, Indo-Pacific Strategic Intelligence (ISI), Indonesia
Dr Samir Saran, President, Observer Research Foundation, India
18:45 - 19:45 (ID)
India and Indonesia stand as prominent drivers of economic growth amidst a backdrop of global market downturns. Both countries boast large, youthful populations with diverse ethnicities and languages. Despite this, they maintain open economies, with trade contributing around 40 percent of GDP and welcoming foreign investments.
Yet, the journey of economic catch-up is far from over, with the two nations placed in the "lower-middle-income" bracket, but hungry for more. This narrative is not just about economies growing in the shadow of global shifts; it is a story of two nations leveraging their unique strengths, charting bold and independent courses, and setting the stage for a future where they are not just participants but leaders on the global economic stage
H.E. Sandiaga Uno, Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy, Indonesia
Prof. Poppy Sulistyaning Winanti, Distinguished Lecturer of International Relations, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Indonesia
Dr Shofwan Al Banna Choiruzzad, Senior Fellow, Foreign Policy Community of Indonesia, Indonesia
H.E. Sandeep Chakravorty, Ambassador of India to Indonesia and Timor Leste
Prof. Harsh V. Pant, Vice-President – Studies and Foreign Policy, Observer Research Foundation, India
Amanda Tan, Investment Specialist, Asian Development Bank
19:45 - 22:00 (ID)
08:00 - 09:00 (ID)
09:00 - 10:00 (ID)
Foundational digital public infrastructure plays three roles - mediating the flow of people (through a digital ID system), money (through a fast payment system), and information (through consent-based data-sharing systems). India became the first country to build all three foundational DPIs. For countries where DPIs are being adopted or adapted today, these building blocks are addressing a clear need, and becoming a potential game-changer across sectors. Moreover, the rise of fintech has also had positive cascading effects on financial inclusion and the expansion of digital commerce and entrepreneurship.
Mira Tayyiba, Secretary General of Ministry of Communication and Informatics, Indonesia
Olivier Crespin, Program Director, Centre for Finance, Technology and Entrepreneurship, United Arab Emirates
Yohanes Lukiman, Chair of the E-Commerce Committee for Digital, Indonesian Employers, Indonesian Employers Association (APINDO)
Marc Robinson, Founder and CEO, Lions Paw Digital, Singapore
Anulekha Nandi, Fellow, Observer Research Foundation, India
Pavlina Pavlova, STMIC Fellow, New America, United States
10:00 - 11:00 (ID)
The growth hubs of the Indo-Pacific will be pivotal in shaping the future blue economy. However, challenges such as overfishing and marine pollution, particularly plastic waste, pose significant threats to sustainable marine resource management. Additionally, vulnerable coastal populations rely disproportionately on coastal and marine ecosystems for provisioning, regulating, and cultural services. International collaborations in technology, sustainable fishing, marine planning, and pollution control will be crucial towards building a prosperous global blue economy.
H.E. Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan, Coordinating Minister of Maritime and Investment Affairs, Indonesia
Dr Yose Rizal Damuri, Executive Director, Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), Indonesia
Malshini Senaratne, Assistant Head of Department, Faculty of Business and Sustainable Development, University of Seychelles, Seychelles
Shanakiyan Rasamanickam, Member of Parliament, Sri Lanka
Shrikumar Suryanarayan, Chairman and Managing Director, Sea6 Energy, India
Innandya Kusumawardhani, Co-founder and Chief Operating Officer, CarbonEthics, Indonesia
11:00 - 11:15 (ID)
11:15 - 11:25 (ID)
Why Africa Matters in the Indo-Pacific
Mehdi Jomaa, Former Prime Minister, Tunisia
11:25 - 12:40 (ID)
The energy trilemma of security, affordability, and sustainability is at the core of the energy transition for the Global South. While the imperative for a just transition is well established, the path to achieving it remains unclear. India has taken decisive steps towards an ambitious energy transition agenda, exemplified by its commitment to reach net zero by 2070 and achieve 500 GW of renewable capacity by 2030. Similarly, Indonesia is actively advancing its energy transition with resilient policy frameworks, such as the National Energy Policy and collaborations with developed nations through JETPs. However, significant hurdles persist. Collaboration, innovation, and partnerships are essential to create the right landscape for a just energy transition in these regions.
H.E. Indra Mani Pandey, Secretary General, BIMSTEC
Prof. Eniya Listiani Dewi, Director General, New, Renewable Energy and Energy Conservation, Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, Indonesia
Bandana Preyashi, Secretary, Department of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, India
Dr Naoyuki Yoshino, Professor Emeritus, Keio University, Japan
Jean Pierre Marcelli, Regional Director for South East Asia, Agence Française de Développement, Thailand
Moekti Handajani Soejachmoen, Co-Founder and Executive Director, Indonesia Research Institute for Decarbonization, Indonesia
Kirtbir Chahal, Head of Strategy and International - Nuclear Skills, Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, United Kingdom
12:40 - 12:50 (ID)
12:50 - 14:50 (ID)
12:50 - 14:50 (ID)
ASEAN-BIMSTEC Collaboration and Cross Learnings
As the Indo-Pacific gains global prominence, the role of the ASEAN and BIMSTEC will become increasingly relevant. Finding convergence across the priorities of both groups and enabling greater collaboration will be crucial to ensure greater economic prosperity in the region and building out strategic partnerships with the rest of the world. The unique experiences of these two groupings also creates the scope for experience sharing across a variety of critical sectors including investment and trade, climate action, food security, and ocean governance.
This roundtable will bring together leading experts in government and the private sector to identify a blueprint for establishing greater synergies between the two groupings.
H.E. Indra Mani Pandey, Secretary General, BIMSTEC
H.E. Satvinder Singh, Deputy Secretary General, ASEAN Economic Community
H.E. Md. Tarikul Islam, Ambassador of Bangladesh to Indonesia
Dr Kimlong Chheng, President, Asian Vision Institute, Cambodia
Sonam Yangchen, Health Policy and Systems Researcher, Bhutan
Aman Raj Khanna, Managing Director - South Asia, The Asia Group, India
14:50 - 15:00 (ID)
15:00 - 16:00 (ID)
The long-term success of the electric vehicle (EV) transition hinges on the widespread adoption of these vehicles in the burgeoning growth centers of the Global South. Within these regions, individual countries possess distinct advantages that can be strategically harnessed to propel the entire EV ecosystem forward and address the challenges stemming from the concentration of the supply chain in a handful of geographies. For instance, While India boasts a robust vehicle manufacturing base, Indonesia holds key mineral resources vital for a thriving battery ecosystem. Partnerships within the Global South can provide a significant impetus to creating a more equitable landscape for EVs, thereby bolstering domestic EV policies and fostering a more inclusive approach to sustainable transportation.
Rachmat Kaimuddin, Deputy for Infrastructure and Transportation Coordination, The Coordinating Ministry for Maritime and Investment Affairs, Indonesia
Anindya Bakrie, President Commissioner, VKTR Mobility Technology, Indonesia
Wini Rizkiningayu, Principal, South East Asia Program, Rocky Mountain Institute, Indonesia
Aishwarya Raman, Executive Director, OMI Foundation, India
Tran Quoc Huy,Chief Executive Officer, VinFast, Indonesia
Clorinda Wibowo, Energy Manager, World Resources Institute, Indonesia
16:00 - 16:50 (ID)
Investing in women-led development is crucial for addressing pressing global challenges such as economic instability, healthcare disparities, climate change, and rising conflicts. Quantifying and internalizing women's contributions in the care economy, along with investing in care infrastructure, are vital steps to enhance economic participation. Additionally, supporting women entrepreneurship, especially in the rapidly expanding creative economy, offers a potent avenue to amplify women's voices in the development discourse.
Andhyta Firselly Utami, Founder & CEO, Think Policy, Indonesia
Dr Ebtesam al-Ketbi, President, Emirates Policy Center, United Arab Emirates
Meach Sotheary, Deputy Director, Gender Equality Department, Ministry of Women's Affairs (MoWA), Cambodia
Bhavna Laroya Anand, Director, Akraya International, Indonesia
Sonam Yangchen, Health Policy and Systems Researcher, Bhutan
16:50 - 17:05 (ID)
Promit Mookherjee, Associate Fellow, Observer Research Foundation, India
17:05 - 21:00 (ID)
