India, Indonesia sign health, education pacts; IIM Bangalore to open first ASEAN campus in East Java

India and Indonesia signed a series of agreements to deepen cooperation in health, education, defence, critical minerals and maritime security during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Jakarta. A key highlight was the announcement that the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Bangalore will establish an overseas campus in Indonesia's East Java province.

Addressing a joint press statement with Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto, Modi said the new IIM Bangalore campus will be set up at the Singhasari Special Economic Zone in East Java. The institute is expected to benefit students not only from Indonesia but also from the wider ASEAN region by providing access to world-class management education.

The move marks another milestone in India's global education outreach. While IIM Ahmedabad became the first premier Indian management institute to open an overseas campus in Dubai last year, the IIM Bangalore campus will be the first in the ASEAN region.

In the healthcare sector, India's Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) and Indonesia's National Agency of Drug and Food Control signed a Memorandum of Understanding to strengthen cooperation in medical product regulation. The agreement aims to promote knowledge sharing on global regulatory standards and improve access to high-quality, affordable Indian medicines in Indonesia.

Both countries also signed an Implementation Agreement on Health Workforce Collaboration, which will facilitate fellowship programmes, capacity-building initiatives and greater mobility for qualified healthcare professionals. Modi said the partnership would contribute to strengthening healthcare systems in both nations and support the training of Indonesian doctors and medical workers.

The agreements are part of nearly a dozen pacts signed during Modi's Indonesia visit, reflecting the growing strategic partnership between the two countries across education, healthcare, defence and economic cooperation.