Opinion Look South-East
Much should happen on a state visit from Indonesias president
The importance of Indonesia in Indias Look East Policy will be further highlighted by the coming visit of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY) as the chief guest on Republic Day. Indonesia shares a maritime boundary with India and is a natural strategic partner. We have a mutual stake in each others progress,prosperity,stability and territorial integrity; and,as pluralistic democracies and developing societies,we face similar challenges.
Indonesia is not only the most populous country in the region,with the largest Muslim population in the world; it has also immense natural resources and a strategic location,for it controls all or part of the very major waterway between the Pacific and the Indian Ocean. The US Pacific Command transits these to support operations in the Persian Gulf; the Japanese need them for their oil tankers. More than half of the worlds shipping traverses these waterways. Indonesia,now recovered from the wreckage of the Asian economic crisis of 1997-98,has maintained relative political stability and economic progress at a time when many other countries are badly affected by the global recession. It is on an upswing economically,given its position as a major player in global energy,minerals and food issues,reflected in its membership of the G-20,now the worlds main council for economic cooperation. The position has undoubtedly granted Indonesia a greater say in ASEAN affairs. When Indonesia assumes the chair of ASEAN in 2011 and welcomes the US and Russia for the first time to the East Asia Summit (EAS) or ASEAN plus 8,it will acquire a critical position in shaping the discourse and agenda of the region.
As a recognition of its strategic position,even the US under the Obama administration has decided to deepen its ties with Indonesia to a comprehensive partnership between two of the worlds most important democracies, to quote Kurt Campbell,the US assistant secretary of state for Asia Pacific.
The success of Indonesia as a pluralistic and democratic state is essential not only to the peace and prosperity of the Southeast Asian region,but also to the security of India. Indonesia has a key role to play in demonstrating the virtues of tolerance and mutual respect in a diverse,multi-ethnic polity. If democracy fails in Indonesia,it will not only lead to the revival of authoritarian forces but also the rise of militant Islam in a country that has tried to preserve a secular society. The implications of that will not only have an effect on the security and stability of ASEAN but also a bearing on Indias own polity and security.
India,therefore,has a great stake in the success of Indonesias democracy,and can attain some positive gains in her relations with the latter if only she can help in those democratisation efforts through training in capacity- and institution-building. In my conversations with President Wahid in July 2000,he showed interest particularly in decentralisation and Panchayati Raj institutions.
Both India and Indonesia are facing a growing threat from Islamic militancy and terrorism arising out of the changing nature of Islam. The rapid Arabisation of Islamic beliefs and practices with greater emphasis on ritual at the grassroots level in Southeast Asia could lead to fundamentalism and militancy. If the nascent democracy in Indonesia falters and the economy does not pick up to reduce the growing economic inequalities,people can tend to veer towards millenarian expectations. This makes it all the more imperative for India to help Indonesia in its democratisation process,for pluralism and democracy can be a major bulwark against militancy.
Thus,during SBYs state visit in 2005,the New Strategic Partnership (NSP) was signed,kicking off growing cooperation between the two countries in the field of defence and security. Recognising that both countries have large exclusive economic zones and maritime interests,India and Indonesia also agreed to work closely to enhance cooperation in capacity-building,technical assistance and information sharing.
The NSP has marked the beginning of an extensive relationship between Asias two largest democracies. Given their location and capabilities,India and Indonesia have a critical role to play as sentinels for vital sea-lanes. They also have a stake in shaping an emerging security architecture of Asia that is not dominated by any single country,important at a time when Chinas recent assertiveness in the South China Sea,through its creeping occupation of territories claimed by some other ASEAN states,is creating strategic uncertainty in the region.
Indonesian strategic thinkers have recently been inclined to look beyond ASEAN and are in favour of a regional security architecture in which major nations of the Asia Pacific region and beyond are represented. In such a grouping,Indonesia as the fulcrum of Southeast Asia could be a valuable interlocutor for Indias interactions with Southeast and East Asia.
The writer is a visiting senior fellow at the Centre for Policy Research,Delhi express@expressindia.com
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