Indian Prime Minister Modi in Brunei, Trip’s Significance Explained

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi began a three-day visit to Brunei Darussalam and Singapore on Tuesday, aiming to enhance ties and mark diplomatic milestones.

This visit will be the first bilateral visit by an Indian Prime Minister to Brunei. Modi will stay in Brunei from September 3-4 before moving on to Singapore.

In his departure statement, Modi expressed his anticipation for discussions with Brunei’s Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah and other key members of the royal family. He mentioned that as they celebrate 40 years of diplomatic relations, he is keen to elevate the historical relationship with Brunei to new heights.

Brunei is an important partner in India’s Act East Policy and Indo-Pacific vision. The visit is intended to strengthen this relationship and expand India’s engagement with the broader ASEAN region. The trip to Brunei is especially historic, as it will be the first time an Indian Prime Minister has conducted a bilateral visit to the Sultanate. During this celebration, PM Modi’s visit aims to strengthen bilateral ties across various sectors, including defense, trade, energy, space technology, healthcare, and cultural exchanges.

PM Modi conveyed his confidence that this visit would play a significant role in enhancing India’s strategic ties with Brunei and in bolstering engagement with the ASEAN bloc.

Countering China’s assertiveness in Indo-Pacific

Observers believe that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s significant diplomatic mission to Brunei and Singapore from September 3 to 5, 2024, is in response to China’s growing assertiveness in the Indo-Pacific. They believe that this visit highlights India’s increasing engagement with Southeast Asia and the strategic importance of the ‘Act East’ policy in the broader Indo-Pacific region.

India’s increased focus on Southeast Asia and its strategic shift towards the Indo-Pacific is motivated by the need to counterbalance China’s expanding influence in the region. As China continues to grow its presence through economic and military means, India’s engagement with Brunei and Singapore represents a broader strategy to build strong regional alliances and promote stability in the Indo-Pacific. By strengthening these relationships, India aims to enhance its role as a key player in regional security and economic integration.

Observers state that Modi’s visit to Brunei (and Singapore) should be assessed in the context of current geopolitics and India-ASEAN relations. They believe that India and ASEAN are facing numerous challenges, such as the U.S.-China strategic competition, the fragmented global economy due to the Ukraine crisis, stagnated inflation, and supply chain disruptions. India and ASEAN have consistently rejected bloc-style competition and are increasingly finding value in diversifying their relationships to secure their interests.

Read More: PM Modi Embarks on Visit to Brunei and Singapore, Strengthening Ties in Southeast Asia

Brunei’s considerable role in India’s ‘Act East’ policy

India’s External Affairs Ministry briefing on Prime Minister Modi’s visit on Monday was consistent with standard practices. Jaideep Mazumdar, Secretary East, indicated that their engagements span multiple areas, including defense, trade and investment, energy, space technology, health, capacity building, culture, and vibrant people-to-people exchanges.

Mazumdar acknowledged Brunei’s valuable support for India’s space program, stating that defense remains a crucial component of bilateral cooperation. He mentioned that there are three MoUs with Brunei in this area and noted the establishment of a telemetry tracking and command station in Brunei in 2000.

Brunei holds strategic importance for several reasons. It is situated off the western coast of the Malaysian state of Sarawak and overlooks the contested waters of the South China Sea. Although Brunei is a silent claimant in these waters, it is heavily dependent on China for trade, investment, and joint development of petrochemical facilities and gas exploration.

The Brunei-Guanxi Economic Corridor, with over $300 million in investments, is generating jobs and fostering growth. It is also helping Brunei diversify away from oil reliance.

China’s presence is expected to continue, making outreach to Brunei crucial for Prime Minister Modi. This outreach will create another channel for exchanging information regarding Beijing’s activities in the South China Sea.

Space cooperation

India’s Secretary (East) Jaideep Mazumdar, while responding when asked about potential significant announcements regarding space cooperation between India and Brunei during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s upcoming visit to the Southeast Asian country, said, “Wait and watch this spac.”

Mazumdar noted that Brunei has provided valuable support to India’s space program. He mentioned that there are three memorandums of understanding (MoUs) with Brunei related to this sector. One of these agreements led to the establishment of a telemetry, tracking, and command (TT&C) station in Brunei in 2000. This facility monitors all of India’s eastward-bound satellites and launch vehicles.

Brunei is seen as an important partner in space cooperation due to its strategic location on the island of Borneo. Its proximity to the equator makes it an ideal site for satellite ground stations and space monitoring infrastructure. Equatorial locations are advantageous for launching and monitoring geostationary satellites, which orbit along the equatorial plane, providing stable and continuous coverage of specific regions. Ground stations near the equator facilitate effective communication with these satellites, improving tracking, data reception, and control.

Additionally, Brunei’s location has potential for future spaceport development, especially for launching rockets into geostationary and polar orbits. The close proximity to the equator can reduce fuel requirements for launches due to the Earth’s rotational velocity, making it a cost-effective site. Although Brunei has not yet developed such infrastructure, its political stability, open economy, and readiness for international partnerships position it as a potential candidate for future spaceport investments.

India and Brunei have been cooperating in the space sector since they signed a bilateral agreement in August 1997 to establish an Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) TT&C station in Brunei. This station has been operational since 2000.

Civilizational neighbors

Indian High Commissioner to Brunei, Alok Amitabh Dimri, described Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Brunei as “historic” and noted that the two nations have been civilizational neighbors. During the visit, PM Modi is expected to have high-level discussions with Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah and other members of the Royal Family. The Indian envoy mentioned to news agencies that the Prime Minister’s two-day official tour on September 3rd and 4th is significant, as it is the first bilateral official visit by an Indian Prime Minister to Brunei Darussalam in their four decades of diplomatic relations. He described it as a historic moment for both the bilateral relationship and the Indian community in Brunei Darussalam.

Dimri also spoke about the influence of Indian culture in Brunei, emphasizing that India shares profound historical ties and bonds with Southeast Asia. He highlighted that Brunei and India have been civilizational neighbors, with deep linkages in various aspects including linguistic, anthropological, ethnic, architectural, and religious elements. He mentioned that traditions and customs from India, including terms like ‘deerghayu’ and ‘anugrahhariguru,’ have influenced the region. Dimri added that the traditional Indian greetings of ‘namaskar’ and ‘pranam’ are used as the official manner of greeting His Majesty.

The Sultan of Brunei previously visited India in January 2018 as a Chief Guest for the Republic Day parade and participated in the ASEAN-India Commemorative Summit, as highlighted in a video shared by the Ministry of External Affairs. PM Modi and Sultan Bolkiah last interacted during the 18th ASEAN-India Summit in October 2021 and on the sidelines of the East Asia Summit in Manila in November 2017.

Well-established diaspora

Elaborating on the bilateral ties between the two nations, the Indian envoy described the relationship as warm and friendly, noting that exchanges between the countries have been deep. He mentioned that the Indian diaspora is well-established in Brunei, despite the country’s small size and economy. He also pointed out that Brunei hosts a variety of communities, including Tamilians, Malayalis, Sindhis, Punjabis, Marathas, and Gujaratis.

The envoy highlighted that, although Brunei has a small economy and geography, the Indian diaspora has made significant inroads. He observed that there are prominent communities of Tamilians, Malayalis, Sindhis, Punjabis, Marathas, and Gujaratis in the country.

Dimri discussed the unique characteristics of Brunei, including its small population and geography, but emphasized that the Indian community has made substantial contributions. He explained that understanding the geography is crucial, noting that Brunei’s population of 400,000 contrasts sharply with larger continents. Despite these differences, he reiterated that the depth of exchanges and the presence of Indian traders and exports demonstrate the strong ties between the two nations.

The Indian diaspora in Brunei, numbering approximately 14,000, plays a crucial role in the local community, with many working as doctors and teachers. Their contributions have garnered goodwill and respect, thereby enhancing the relationship between the two countries.

New areas of cooperation

During the visit, Prime Minister Modi will hold bilateral discussions on all aspects of the relationship and cooperation with Brunei, while also exploring new areas of collaboration.

The maritime sector is a crucial area for strengthening India-Brunei cooperation as part of India’s Security and Growth for All in the Region (SAGAR) initiative. Brunei offers investment opportunities, particularly in enhancing its deep-water Muara port, which could provide India with geostrategic and geoeconomic benefits.

India and Brunei collaborate in various fields, including defense, trade and investment, energy, space technology, health, capacity building, culture, and people-to-people exchanges, according to officials.

The defense relationship between the two countries has been growing, with cooperation involving regular official-level exchanges, visits of naval and coast guard ships, training, joint exercises, and participation in each other’s defense exhibitions. The defense ministries of both countries held a virtual meeting in January 2021, and the MoU on defense cooperation was renewed for another five years in 2021.

For the first time, two Indian defense companies, Bharat Electronics Ltd and MKU Ltd, participated in the Defense Industry Exposition organized by the Brunei Armed Forces for the 63rd Armed Forces Anniversary on June 1-2, 2024.

Also Read: PM Modi’s Historic Brunei Visit: Highlights Include Tour of Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque