As Prime Minister Narendra Modi prepares for his visit to Jakarta next month, India's External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar met with his Indonesian counterpart, Sugiono, in New Delhi to discuss enhancing bilateral cooperation across several sectors. The talks focused on defense, maritime trade, investments, pharmaceuticals, and food security. Indonesia has become India's second-largest trading partner in the ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) region, with bilateral trade growing significantly from $4.3 billion in 2005-06 to $38.84 billion in 2022-23. However, India faces a considerable trade deficit with Indonesia, which it aims to mitigate by reviewing the ASEAN-India Trade in Goods Agreement (AITIGA) to improve market access and balance trade. India is a major importer of coal and crude palm oil from Indonesia, as well as other commodities like rubber and minerals. The two nations are also in the final stages of negotiating a BrahMos cruise missile deal. Sugiono's visit is part of a broader diplomatic initiative, with Modi also set to visit New Zealand and Australia soon.