PM Modi Conferred Indonesia’s Highest Civilian Honour, ‘Bintang Adipurna’

Prime Minister Narendra Modi was conferred the ‘Bintang Adipurna of the Republic of Indonesia’, the highest civilian honour of Indonesia, by President Prabowo Subianto during his State Visit to Jakarta on 7 July 2026. The honour was awarded in recognition of Prime Minister Modi’s leadership and his exceptional contribution to strengthening India-Indonesia relations.

The award carries deep diplomatic significance. It comes during Prime Minister Modi’s State Visit to Indonesia from 6 to 8 July 2026, a visit that has given fresh momentum to the India-Indonesia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. The visit included official talks with President Prabowo at Istana Merdeka, an address to the Indonesian Parliament, cultural engagements, and a wide-ranging joint statement covering defence, maritime security, trade, digital economy, critical minerals, space, health, education, tourism and regional cooperation.

Prime Minister Modi dedicated the honour to the people of India and Indonesia and to the enduring civilisational ties between the two nations. This gesture placed the award within the larger historical bond shared by India and Indonesia, shaped by ancient maritime routes, cultural exchanges, temple traditions, Buddhism, Hindu influence, language links and centuries of people-to-people contact.

The Bintang Republik Indonesia is Indonesia’s highest order and is awarded for distinguished service to the republic and its people. The Adipurna class is the highest grade within the order. Its conferment on the Indian Prime Minister reflects Jakarta’s recognition of India’s growing role as a trusted partner in Southeast Asia and the Indo-Pacific.

The honour also underlines the personal diplomatic rapport between Prime Minister Modi and President Prabowo. President Prabowo had earlier visited India in January 2025 as the Chief Guest for India’s 76th Republic Day celebrations. Prime Minister Modi’s return visit to Indonesia in July 2026 has now turned that political warmth into a broader roadmap for action across strategic, economic and cultural fields.

India and Indonesia are two major maritime democracies with strong stakes in the Indian Ocean and the Indo-Pacific. During the visit, both sides reaffirmed their commitment to a free, open, transparent, rules-based, peaceful, prosperous and inclusive Indo-Pacific region. They also emphasised respect for sovereignty, territorial integrity, international law and freedom of navigation and overflight.

The award comes at a time when the India-Indonesia relationship is expanding rapidly in defence and maritime cooperation. The joint statement welcomed cooperation in areas such as joint exercises, defence industrial collaboration, maritime domain awareness, coastal surveillance, search and rescue, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief. Reports also pointed to major defence cooperation involving Indian systems such as BrahMos and Astra, showing the growing strategic weight of the relationship.

Economic cooperation was another major pillar of the visit. India and Indonesia connected India’s Viksit Bharat 2047 vision with Indonesia’s Indonesia Emas 2045 vision, while discussing trade, investment, critical minerals, rare earths, steel supply chains, digital public infrastructure and financial connectivity. These areas show that the partnership is moving beyond traditional diplomacy into future-facing economic cooperation.

Cultural diplomacy also gave the visit a special character. Prime Minister Modi and President Prabowo inaugurated the initiation of restoration and conservation work at the Prambanan Temple Compounds in Yogyakarta, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The two countries also agreed to commemorate 2026–2027 as the Tagore-Dewantara Year of India-Indonesia Cultural and Educational Diplomacy, marking the centenary of Rabindranath Tagore’s visit to Indonesia in 1927.

The conferment of the Bintang Adipurna therefore stands as more than a ceremonial gesture. It is a recognition of India’s deepening engagement with Indonesia, India’s expanding role in the Indo-Pacific, and the civilisational warmth that continues to shape the relationship between the two countries.

For India, the honour is also a diplomatic milestone in its Act East policy. For Indonesia, it reflects trust in India as a partner in regional stability, economic growth, maritime security and cultural cooperation. Together, the award and the wider State Visit mark a new chapter in India-Indonesia relations — one built on shared history, strategic convergence and a common vision for the Asian century.