President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's visit to India was,

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's visit to India was,
frankly, little noticed here in Jakarta. There was not the
customary ferment of intellectual discussion that usually ushers
in state visits to China, Japan or the United States.

Despite its deep-rooted ties to this archipelago, India has
fallen off Indonesia's political radar in the last three decades.

Consigned to the historical fable of the Non-Alignment
Movement, only dimly remembered for its help in the independence
struggle, and perhaps best known for the beads and baubles of
Bollywood and sexy dangdut music, New Delhi is not instinctively
considered here as a strategic ally of Indonesia.

Nevertheless, Susilo's three-day visit there marks an
important step for Indonesia's diplomatic positioning in the
political landscape of Asia.

Asia's geopolitical structure will be dominated by the rising
regional powers of China and India. Their interactions with the
U.S. hegemony, represented by Japan, are likely to become central
issues for the region.

It is no exaggeration to say that most other Asian countries,
including perhaps Indonesia, will be standing at the feet of
these giants.

However, Indonesia is no fringe player in this coming
configuration, even if it cannot match India and China
economically or militarily.

Indonesia's abundance of resources is more-than-adequate
political capital to assume the role of regional interlocutor
between these competing powers.

Already we are seeing the Association of Southeast Asian
Nations (ASEAN) perform this function as host of the East Asia
Summit in three weeks.

This initiative may suffice for smaller members of ASEAN, but
shouldn't be for a country like Indonesia that must also adopt a
linear approach through bilateral contacts.

Many things have been predicted of China and many of these
predictions will come true. It will be an irrepressible force in
the near future. That is why Jakarta and Beijing have both made
intense efforts -- bilaterally and through ASEAN -- to forge
closer strategic partnerships in many fields.

Though engaging China is all-important, Indonesia cannot
afford to overlook India. The reality of realpolitik requires a
counterbalance to the emerging power to the north.

There is today strategic parity between China and
Indonesia/ASEAN. But this is equilibrium will not last as China
becomes increasingly stronger.

There is confidence that China will become a responsible power
but no one can foretell the instincts of a giant.

This is not to say that China should be looked upon with
suspicion, or that Indonesia should attempt to ally with one
regional power against another.

However, the trouble with standing at the feet of giants is
that whether intentionally or not, there is a every possibility
that one may be stepped on.

This explains the role of India as an offset to a potential
Chinese hegemony, and the reason why Indonesia was so insistent
that India be included in the new East Asia Summit framework due
to be unveiled in Kuala Lumpur next month.

India is not some far-off location. We Island on Indonesia's
northwestern-most tip is less than 250 kilometers from India's
Nicobar Islands. The same distance from Jakarta to the West Java
town of Garut.

The fundamentals of closer strategic cooperation are self-
evident. Culturally and historically, India is a most natural
ally.

Of course, New Delhi shoulders equal blame for the current
distance. It lags behind China in courting Indonesia. Chinese
investment is growing and its bilateral trade with Indonesia,
which stands at about US$15 billion, could double in a decade.
India on the other has just $4 billion worth of trade with
Indonesia.

More importantly, Indonesia is overcoming its wariness of
military cooperation with China.

Though China should be welcomed as a new development partner
and a source of foreign capital, Indonesia should now pursue
synergies with New Delhi with the same vigor

There is hope that 2005 will be a turning point in relations
between Jakarta and New Delhi. Leaders of both countries have
exchanged visits and an impressive Indian naval armada docked
here earlier this year. Susilo and Indian Prime Minister Prime
Minister Manmohan Singh will again cross paths at the summit in
Kuala Lumpur next month.

The momentum is building, and as Indonesia looks up to these
emerging giants, it is in our interest to keep India -- and China
-- on equal footing.