First Indian Prime Minister to Visit Brunei: Key Takeaways and Initiatives

Prime Minister Modi arrived in Brunei to elevate the historic bilateral relations between India and Brunei to unprecedented levels and met with His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah of Brunei and other members. The two leaders discussed ways to comprehensively improve bilateral relations in existing areas. India and Brunei have a long history, culture and civilizational ties.

Key Takeaways

  • India regards Brunei as an important partner in its “Act East Policy” and “Indo-Pacific Vision”.
  • Speaking about the event, PM Modi and India as a whole expressed that the visit was very beneficial. PM Modi was optimistic that the visit would expand the scope of cooperation between India, Brunei, Singapore and the ASEAN region.
  • During his visit to Brunei, Prime Minister Modi called Indian Paralympic athletes to express India’s pride in their achievements.
  • The two leaders agreed to set up a joint working group to promote defense cooperation between India and Brunei.

Prime Minister Modi’s historic visit to Brunei is aimed at further consolidating the age-old friendship between the two countries, expanding areas of cooperation, and taking the India-ASEAN and India-Indo-Pacific partnerships to new heights.

During the visit of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Brunei on September 3-4, 2024, several new initiatives were announced to strengthen bilateral relations between India and Brunei. The following are the major initiatives:

1. Defense Cooperation

  • India and Brunei will set up a joint working group to strengthen defence ties, a move that reflects the two countries’ commitment to cooperate on security matters, particularly in regional stability and maritime safety.

2. Space Cooperation Agreement

  • Prime Minister Modi and Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah discussed signing a space cooperation agreement, signalling their interest in advancing technical cooperation in space exploration and satellite technology.

3. Trade and economic initiatives

  • The two leaders agreed to expand trade and business ties, including exploring new avenues for cooperation in areas such as energy and investment, to boost economic relations.

IV. People-to-people and cultural exchanges

  • Cultural exchange and encouraging people-to-people exchanges are considered key to building historic bilateral ties. PM Modi said that with around 14,000 Indians deployed to Brunei, it remains a strong diplomatic bond between the two countries.

5. New headquarters building completed

  • Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently laid the foundation stone for the new office building of the Indian High Commission in Brunei to ensure that the diplomatic relations between the two countries are further strengthened. The design of the office building adopts Indian motifs and reflects the cultural spirit of Indian architecture, which will help establish Indian identity in Brunei.

The Southeast Asian country is also an important part of India’s “Act East Policy”, so the impact of this visit will have long-term benefits for both countries. The move not only coincides with the 40th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries, but also marks the beginning of closer cooperation between the two sides in the coming years. Prime Minister Modi’s visit to the Sultanate of Brunei is of great significance to both countries and is expected to push bilateral relations to new heights.

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