Residents stand in way of India's plan for 18-storey embassy in Jakarta

Case makes headlines as work temporarily halts after court grants residents' petition

- Wahyudi Soeriaatmadja

JAKARTA - A plan by India to raise an 18-storey building in its diplomatic compound in Jakarta has drawn flak from surrounding residents, who say they are worried that the neighbourhood's ambience would be affected, and claim that the building permit issued by the local authorities is legally flawed.

Piling work for the project, which would include apartments for Indian diplomats in the country, has been temporarily halted by a ruling on Aug 29 by the State Administrative Court, following a March petition by 24 nearby residents that the permit granted by the Jakarta administration was flawed.

The building permit was issued to the Indian embassy in September 2023. The Jakarta local government has filed an appeal to resume work on the project. The Jakarta administration did not reply to requests for comments by The Straits Times.

The case is making media headlines, as new Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto is preparing to visit New Delhi to attend India's National Day on Jan 26. He received a personal invitation to attend the event from Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the recently held Group of 20 Summit in Brazil.

The legal tussle and exchange of words between Jakarta residents and the Indian embassy have drawn the attention of a lawmaker in Indonesia's national Parliament, who urged the nation's foreign minister to step in as mediator.