PM Modi Got Front Pages In Australia. Did China's Shadow Keep Indonesia Quiet?

Last Updated:July 10, 2026, 10:43 IST

Analysts say Jakarta's objective is not to choose between India and China, but to preserve strategic autonomy by maintaining productive relations with both

Prime Minister Narendra Modi wrapped up two high-profile visits in the Indo-Pacific this week. But while Australia’s biggest newspapers put him on their front pages, calling him “Mr India" and celebrating the deepening partnership between the two countries, Indonesia’s mainstream media remained surprisingly subdued.

The contrast is striking because PM Modi’s Indonesia visit was hardly low-key. He received one of the country’s highest civilian honours, addressed Parliament, signed a landmark BrahMos missile deal and held wide-ranging talks with President Prabowo Subianto.

So why did one visit dominate headlines while the other passed with relatively little fanfare? Analysts say the answer may lie in Indonesia’s complex relationship with China and its carefully balanced foreign policy.

How Different Was The Coverage?

Australian newspapers gave Modi’s visit extensive coverage, highlighting India’s growing strategic importance, defence cooperation and Canberra’s expanding partnership with New Delhi. Several newspapers prominently featured the Indian Prime Minister on their front pages, with some referring to him as “Mr India", reflecting the significance Australia attached to the visit.

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The Australian newspaper dedicated its front page to PM Modi’s visit with the headline: “Modi comes bearing gifts on trade, defence." A columnist in the same newspaper wrote about the visit under the headline: “PM’s all the way with Mr India."

Indonesia presented a different picture. While state news agency Antara and a handful of media organisations reported on the official engagements, the visit never became a dominant national story. Coverage was largely limited to straight news reports, with little of the sustained front-page attention or editorial commentary seen in Australia, according to an analysis by ThePrint.

Why Was The Visit Important?

The muted coverage stood out because the visit itself produced several major outcomes.

Among them was Indonesia agreeing to purchase India’s BrahMos supersonic cruise missile system, becoming only the third foreign customer. Also, both countries expanded defence and maritime cooperation. PM Modi addressed the Indonesian Parliament and India and Indonesia reiterated their commitment to a free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific. President Prabowo Subianto also conferred one of Indonesia’s highest civilian honours on PM Modi whose aircraft was escorted by Indonesian Air Force fighter jets in a ceremonial honour reserved for important state visits.

By any diplomatic measure, it was one of the most consequential India-Indonesia engagements in recent years.

Is China The Reason?

While there is no evidence that China influenced media coverage or that the Indonesian government directed editors to downplay the visit, the broader geopolitical environment helps explain why the visit was presented more cautiously.

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Indonesia today has deep economic links with China. China is Indonesia’s largest trading partner and among its biggest investors, with billions of dollars invested in infrastructure, high-speed rail, mining, nickel processing and Belt and Road Initiative projects. That economic relationship has become central to Jakarta’s development agenda.

At the same time, Indonesia is expanding defence ties with countries such as India, Japan, Australia and the United States without wanting to appear part of any anti-China coalition.

‘Indonesia Doesn’t Want To Be Seen Taking Sides’

One of the experts quoted by ThePrint, Yeta Purnama, a lecturer in international relations at Bina Nusantara University, said Indonesia’s approach is rooted in its long-standing “free and active" foreign policy.

According to her, Jakarta is careful to maintain good relations with all major powers and avoids sending signals that could be interpreted as choosing one strategic partner over another. That balancing act, she suggested, also shapes the broader public and media discourse around high-profile diplomatic visits.

Another expert, Teuku Rezasyah, Associate Professor of International Relations at Padjadjaran University, told ThePrint that Indonesia’s media landscape is primarily driven by domestic priorities. Foreign visits generally receive sustained attention only when they have a direct impact on Indonesian politics or public life.

He added that because Indonesia seeks productive relations with both India and China, media organisations also tend to avoid narratives that frame bilateral engagements through overt geopolitical rivalry.

Why Does The BrahMos Deal Matter?

The BrahMos agreement added an unmistakable strategic dimension to the visit.

The missile is India’s flagship defence export and is designed for precision strikes against naval and land targets. The deal strengthens Indonesia’s maritime capabilities at a time when security concerns in the South China Sea and the wider Indo-Pacific continue to grow.

Although Indonesia is not a claimant in the South China Sea disputes in the same way as countries like the Philippines or Vietnam, it has repeatedly objected to Chinese activities near the Natuna Islands, where China’s expansive “nine-dash line" overlaps with Indonesia’s exclusive economic zone.

That makes any major defence agreement involving India particularly noteworthy from a regional security perspective.

Why Was Australia Different?

Australia’s strategic outlook is fundamentally different.

Canberra openly views India as one of its closest partners in maintaining a balance of power in the Indo-Pacific. The two countries cooperate closely through the Quad, conduct regular military exercises and have steadily deepened defence, trade and technology ties.

For Australian media, PM Modi’s visit fit squarely into a larger national conversation about regional security, China’s growing influence and Australia’s strategic partnerships.

Indonesia, meanwhile, prefers what many analysts describe as strategic hedging: deepening cooperation with multiple major powers while avoiding the perception of aligning against any one of them. That difference in foreign policy naturally influences how diplomatic visits are framed and prioritised.

Does Muted Coverage Mean Indonesia Is Tilting Towards China?

Not necessarily.

Indonesia has often challenged China’s maritime claims near the Natuna Islands while simultaneously expanding economic cooperation with Beijing. It also continues to strengthen defence ties with India, Japan, Australia and the United States.

Analysts say Jakarta’s objective is not to choose between India and China, but to preserve strategic autonomy by maintaining productive relations with both.

That is why experts argue the relatively restrained media coverage should be seen less as evidence of Chinese influence and more as a reflection of Indonesia’s cautious diplomatic posture.

About the Author

Apoorva Misra

Apoorva Misra is a News Editor at News18.com with a keen interest in politics and current affairs. She loves uncovering fresh angles and telling stories through long-form features and explainers. Foll...Read More

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