The roots of India and Indonesia go back thousands of years. Over 27 crore people live in Indonesia, and about 90 percent of the population is Muslim. Today Indonesia is the country with the largest Muslim population in the world. However, there was a time when there was influence of Hindu and Buddhist kings. Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto is the chief guest at India’s Republic Day celebrations this time. This is the fifth time that Indonesian leaders have visited India on the occasion of Republic Day. Indian Islamic history can largely be traced back to a dynamic blend of cultures and trade between India, Southeast and East Asia, through which Islam spread to Indonesia much later. But there is an important question: how did these people, who devoutly followed Hinduism, transition to Islam as their primary religion?
Prior to the Islamic influences, Hinduism and Buddhism were dominant in Indonesia. Despite the shifts in religious practices, the promise of economic opportunity helped ensure Bali still is a top destination in Asia.
It is difficult to pinpoint the starting moment when Indonesia transitioned- as they are situated in the heart of the silk trading route, it may have happened centuries earlier and only captured much later during colonialism.
Indonesians regard the Buni or Muni civilization as the earliest civilization within the archipelago’s borders, significantly progressed by the 4th century B.C. In his account, sages of various faiths adhered to the tradition of both Hindus and Buddhists. For almost the next two thousand years, this place was under the influence of Hindus and Buddhist rulers like Kirtanegara and Tribhuvana. Within this period, the territory of Indonesia had trading relations with China and India. The Hindu Majapahit Empire rose in East Java towards the end of the thirteenth century. Gajah Mada was at the helm, whose legacy remains in Indonesia today. This time is regarded the golden time of Indonesia.
Islam spread during trade, sword, and marriage.
Arab Muslim merchants funded the first Islamic ships into Indonesian waters starting in the 8th century, while the Islamization of the country began with the arrival of Arab traders around the late 13th century. The religion was first brought over by Arab traders and scholars. The rulers embraced Islam, and in time, the religion began to spread. The emergence of Islamic states such as the Sultanate of Malacca in the 15th century utilized military force and sea trading to spread Islam. In certain regions, Islam was propagated through military force, but in most cases, it advanced through trade and missionary efforts.
Selected constitutional direction post independence.
As of 2023, Islam is the most widely practiced religion in Indonesia with 87.06% of the population being Muslim. However, unlike dictates of the religion, the country is not an Islamic state, but a secular one with six officially recognized religions. Even this far im removed, cultural attributes of India can be found in Indonesia which traces back to this ancient connection. Language, culture, and mythology are heavy influenced by Hindu and Buddhism here. Furthermore, people and festivals in Indonesia revere the Mahabharata and Ramayana immensely making it a core part of the Indonesian culture.
