Election Commission goes global as India-Indonesia sign pact on EVM, poll management; know all about the deal | World

India is strengthening its global role in election management as it signed an MoU with Indonesia to enhance cooperation in conducting elections on Tuesday. The agreement will cover the sharing of election technology, including customised Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), along with training, capacity building, institutional cooperation and the exchange of best practices between the election authorities of both countries.

Officials say the partnership reflects the growing international recognition of India’s expertise in conducting large-scale democratic elections.

Indonesian President praises India’s election system

Speaking at a community event in Jakarta, Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto said his country is learning from India’s Election Commission and praised the way India has conducted peaceful elections over the years.

“We are learning very closely from the Election Commission of India,” he said.  He described India’s ability to manage elections for a population of more than 1.4 billion people, across different languages and communities, as a remarkable achievement.

“We see India… managing so many years of peaceful transition of government. This is a remarkable achievement. I am also studying this and following the remarkable achievements of India.”

‘I copied many of PM Modi’s policies’ 

During his address, President Subianto also spoke about Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying he has closely studied his governance model.

“I am a great admirer of Narendra Modi ji… Even before I became president, I studied the policies of the Prime Minister and because there is no copyright, I copied many of his policies,” he said. He added with a smile that PM Modi had “graciously allowed” him to do so, joking that he therefore could not be sued.

The Indonesian President also highlighted the historical and cultural ties between the two countries. He said Indonesia’s civilisation has been deeply influenced by India, noting that many Indonesian words have Sanskrit roots and that several Indonesians have Sanskrit names.

“Indonesians must learn from the experience of India… Our civilisation and culture are strongly influenced by Indian civilisation.” In a lighter moment, he joked that many of his ministers enjoy singing and dancing, adding, “Maybe most of them have Indian DNA.”

Why Indonesia is looking at India

Indonesia, the world’s third-largest democracy with a population of nearly 288 million, is looking to modernise its electoral system. Officials from Indonesia have already visited India to study the design of EVMs, election monitoring systems, voter awareness programmes and digital tools used during elections. Indonesian election officials were also among international observers during the 2025 Bihar Assembly elections.

India’s election model gains global recognition

India’s Election Commission has signed cooperation agreements with election bodies from 28 countries and several international organisations.

Indian-made EVMs are already being used or tested in countries such as Bhutan, Nepal and Namibia, while India’s indelible ink has been supplied for elections in countries including Madagascar, Myanmar, Cambodia, Fiji, Bhutan, Sierra Leone and Mongolia.

Also Read: At Indonesian Parliament, PM Modi highlights Ramayana, Mahabharata as pillars of bilateral relations