This article outlines diplomatic relations between India and Brunei Darussalam (Brunei): the establishment of relations, Brunei's role in India's engagement with ASEAN, visits by the Sultan and by Indian leaders, the Foreign Office Consultations, and the agreements and MoUs between the two countries. It is based on the MEA brief of July 2026, and office holders are named as the brief names them.

Establishment of relations

According to the MEA brief of July 2026, diplomatic ties between India and Brunei were established on 10 May 1984, following Brunei's independence from the British. How each country set up its resident mission is covered in the practical article of this guide.

The brief describes the relationship as warm and friendly and marked by mutual respect, and states that the two countries are linked by history, culture and tradition spanning a millennium. It adds that the relationship rests on traditional and cultural linkages and on common membership of the UN, NAM and the Commonwealth.

Brunei, ASEAN and the Indo-Pacific

The brief describes Brunei as India's key partner in the ASEAN region and in India's vision of the Indo-Pacific. Brunei served as Country Coordinator in ASEAN-India relations from July 2012 till June 2015, a period in which, according to the brief, it played an important role in India's engagement with ASEAN.

Visits by the Sultan of Brunei

The Sultan and Yang di-Pertuan of Brunei, Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah, has visited India four times:

  • His first State Visit was from 15-18 September 1992.
  • His second State Visit was on 20-23 May 2008.
  • He attended the ASEAN-India Commemorative Summit marking 20 years of the India-ASEAN Partnership Dialogue on 20-21 December 2012.
  • On his fourth visit, on 24-26 January 2018, he attended the ASEAN-India Commemorative Summit marking 25 years of the India-ASEAN Dialogue Partnership. He also witnessed the Republic Day Parade on 26 January 2018 as Chief Guest, with the Heads of State and Government of the other ASEAN Member States.

Visits and meetings from the Indian side

The first-ever visit of a Prime Minister of India to Brunei was in October 2013, for ASEAN-related Summits. The Vice President visited Brunei on 1-3 February 2016. Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi and the Sultan first met on the sidelines of ASEAN related Summits at Nay Pyi Taw on 12 November 2014, and met again at the ASEAN related Summits in Manila on 14 November 2017.

Prime Minister Modi visited Brunei Darussalam from 3 to 4 September 2024 to mark 40 years of the establishment of diplomatic relations. The brief records this as the first ever bilateral visit of a Prime Minister of India to Brunei Darussalam.

Foreign Minister-level contacts

External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar met Brunei's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dato Haji Erywan, on the sidelines of the ASEAN meetings in Vientiane, Laos, on 26 July 2024. The two launched a logo celebrating 40 years of diplomatic relations. Dato Haji Erywan also took part virtually in the Foreign Ministers' Session of the 3rd Voice of Global South Summit on 17 August 2024.

Foreign Office Consultations

A decision to establish a Joint Committee Meeting for Foreign Office Consultations (FOC), to exchange views on bilateral, regional and international issues, was made in February 1995. It was set out in a Joint Statement during the visit to India of Pehin Lim Jock Seng, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

Eight meetings have been held since:

  • in New Delhi in February 1995, February 1998, May 2005 and June 2019
  • in Brunei in May 1996, March 2002, December 2011 and July 2023

The 8th Foreign Office Consultations were held in Bandar Seri Begawan on 25 July 2023, co-chaired by Secretary (East) and the Permanent Secretary, MoFA.

Agreements and MoUs

The brief lists the following Agreements and MoUs between India and Brunei:

  • Air Services Agreement
  • Cooperation in Culture, Arts & Sports
  • Cooperation in Defence
  • Cooperation in the operation of a Telemetry, Tracking and Command (TTC) Station for satellite and launch vehicles, and Cooperation in the field of Space Research, Science and Applications
  • MoU on establishment of Joint Trade Committee Meetings
  • MoU on Exchange of Information and Assistance in Collection with Respect to Taxes

The brief adds that several other MoUs and Agreements are under discussion. The defence, space and trade arrangements are described in the cooperation article of this guide.