Brunei, a tiny yet relatively new nation, holds a wealth of records and a lengthy list of landmarks. From the ruler’s long and elaborate official name—Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Haji Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien Sa’adul Khairi Waddien—to his claim as one of the wealthiest rulers and the world’s longest-reigning monarch, Brunei consistently makes its mark in the record books. However, this former British protectorate, which gained full independence in 1984, is more than its oil riches and opulence.

Bonded Through Language and History

The country is officially known as Negara Brunei Darussalam in its official language, Malay, or Bahasa Melayu. The Malay term “Bahasa” originates from the Sanskrit word “bhasha”, meaning language, while “Negara” is derived from the Sanskrit word “Nagara/Nagari”, meaning city. Brunei’s capital, Bandar Seri Begawan, was renamed in 1970 from its previous name, Bandar Brunei, to honour the country’s former ruler, Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien III, whose name draws from the Sanskrit term “Shri Bhagwan”, meaning Lord Almighty or ‘the Blessed One’.

Over a century ago, a historical connection to India emerged when British soldier and sojourner James Brooke, born in Bandel, West Bengal, was granted a significant portion of Brunei’s territory in 1841 by Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddin II for quelling a rebellion. Brooke later received the title of Rajah—derived from the Sanskrit word for King—of Sarawak, now a state in Malaysia, and became known as the White Rajah.

Not-So-Proactive Engagement

During my recent visit to Bandar Seri Begawan, particularly at the Royal Regalia Museum in the heart of the capital, I spotted a photograph of an Indian teacher dressed in a saree. The image featured the current ruler from his student days at Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien College in 1964. Surprisingly, amidst the museum’s glittering collection of royal regalia—showcasing exquisite state gifts from several heads of state and top ministers from countries like China, Singapore, Thailand, Pakistan, Ukraine, and the USA—the Indian gift was attributed to a former Indian High Commissioner and not a minister.

PM’s Historic Visit

Linguistically and historically, Brunei and India share a long-standing connection. However, their geopolitical relations require a boost, particularly as India aims to enhance its role in the Indo-Pacific region. Notably, no Indian Prime Minister had visited Brunei for a bilateral discussion before Narendra Modi embarked on a trip as part of his proactive Act East policy. Although Brunei’s Sandhurst-educated Sultan has made four visits to India since the establishment of diplomatic ties in 1984, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was the only Indian leader to visit Brunei for two back-to-back multilateral events—the 11th ASEAN-India Summit and the 8th East Asia Summit—held in Bandar Seri Begawan in October 2013. The transition from the earlier Look East policy to a more active Act East policy began after Modi took office in 2014, leading to the first-ever high-level bilateral visit to Brunei by President Hamid Ansari in 2016.

Oil-Driven Economic Partnerships

Brunei boasts a high-income, oil-rich economy. Despite the pandemic’s temporary stagnation of its oil-driven sector, Brunei maintains a currency valued at par with Singapore’s dollar, which is also widely used in the country. India’s primary exports to Brunei include automobiles, transport equipment, rice, and spices. Conversely, India is one of Brunei’s largest importers of crude oil, with annual imports valued at approximately $500-600 million. At the recently opened Brunei Energy Hub, an interactive oil and gas museum in Bandar Seri Begawan, the country’s oil and gas development timeline highlights India as one of the “key customers” of Brunei Shell Petroleum (BSP), a joint venture between the Government of Brunei and Shell, noting the first delivery of oil cargo to India in 2003, with approximately 25,000 barrels supplied each year thereafter. A significant portion of Brunei’s Indian diaspora, nearly 15,000, primarily works in the oil and gas sector, with an increasing number of unskilled Indian workers entering the construction and other unorganised sectors in recent years.

Eye On China

With 161 kilometres of coastline along the South China Sea, Brunei, home to nearly 4,50,000 people, holds both geographical and geopolitical significance in the Indo-Pacific region. The nation is a silent claimant to this contested maritime area, maintaining a delicate balance in its relations with China and other ASEAN neighbours, despite China’s growing assertiveness in the region. In May of this year, Brunei signed a maritime cooperation agreement with the Philippines, which has recently taken a stand against China’s aggression in the South China Sea, officially referring to the area near its coastline as the West Philippine Sea. Simultaneously, the Islamic nation has strengthened its defence ties with India over the years. Prime Minister Modi’s visit is anticipated to solidify this relationship, especially in light of China’s expanding influence in the region.

Culinary Connection

Interestingly, Brunei’s population comprises more than 10% Chinese immigrants, with nearly 70% of their ancestors hailing from the Taiwanese islands of Kinmen. This group fled heavy shelling by China during the First and Second Taiwan Strait crises in the 1950s. While enjoying traditional ‘roti kacang kahwin’ and ‘roti kuning kahwin’ (the word “roti” means bread in Malay, like in Hindi) at Chop Jing Chew, a historic bakery and eatery in Bandar Seri Begawan, I was surprised to find that the Chinese-immigrant-owned establishment is run entirely by Indian staff. My culinary exploration also revealed that one of Brunei’s most popular and top-rated (by Tripadvisor) restaurants, Riyaz, located in a prominent hotel, is managed by a team of Indian chefs and hospitality staff.

Bollywood’s Soft Power

A visit to another well-regarded restaurant, Soto Pabo, along the Brunei riverfront, highlighted Brunei’s deep-rooted cross-cultural connection with India. I encountered two elderly Bruneians jamming with a guitar, who greeted me with a warm “Namaste” in fluent Hindi. After introducing myself and joining their gathering, one of them, Hajiali, told me that he had studied in Lucknow for a year in the 1970s. The septuagenarian, together with his friend and the eatery’s owner’s octogenarian father-in-law, entertained us with a medley of classic Bollywood songs. I was captivated by the nostalgic tunes of Mukesh’s “Sawan Ka Mahina,” Kishore Kumar’s “Zindagi Ek Safar,” and Mohammad Rafi’s “Jo Wada Kiya.” A little later, after savouring their signature Ambuyat set—a traditional Bruneian meal—I took a ferry to Kampung Ayer, a traditional water village near the capital. As we sailed through the mangroves populated with long-nosed proboscis monkeys (featured in the Tintin adventure, Flight 714), the boatman began singing “Kuch Kuch Hota Hai” upon learning my nationality. This experience reminded me of my travels to Timor-Leste and Indonesia, where locals also fondly recalled the Bollywood classic. It was a profound demonstration of India’s enduring soft power through Bollywood. 

While it’s heartening to see the influence of Indian culture in Brunei even before Prime Minister Modi’s visit, India must further engage with this small yet affluent nation to enhance its strategic position in the region.

(Suvam Pal works as a broadcast journalist with TaiwanPlus news channel in Taipei)

Disclaimer: These are the personal opinions of the author

New Delhi:

Prime Minister Narendra Modi landed in Brunei on Tuesday, receiving a warm reception from Crown Prince Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah. Mr Modi is the first Indian PM to pay a state visit to Brunei where he will hold talks with Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah and other members of the royal family. His Next stop is Singapore.

The Prime Minister’s two-nation trip aims to strengthen India’s ties with Southeast Asian countries.

Here are some facts on the Brunei crown Prince, Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah

1. Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah was proclaimed the crown Prince of Brunei on August 10, 1998, and presented with the Keris Si Naga, a golden dagger. The Keris Si Naga, also known as the Dragon’s Dagger, is necessary for a successor to claim the throne and for their coronation. As Crown Prince, he serves as Deputy Sultan when his father is away and holds various positions, including Senior Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office, General in the Brunei Armed Forces, Deputy Inspector General of the Royal Brunei Police Force, and Head of the National Disaster Management Committee.

2. In 2004, the Crown Prince married 17-year-old Pengiran Anak Sarah. After the wedding, they drove around Brunei’s capital in a golden-topped Rolls-Royce. The royal couple have four children. They welcomed their first child, Pengiran Muda Abdul Muntaqim, on March 17, 2007. He will inherit the Brunei throne.

3. He is known for his impressive collection of luxury vehicles, including a Ferrari 599 GTB, Mercedes McLaren SLR, and Lamborghini Murcielago LP640. 

4. Crown Prince Al-Muhtadee Billah competed in the 2007 World Pool Championship. He has a passion for pool and snooker.

5. The Crown Prince owns Brunei DPMM FC, a leading football club in the country. He has also played as a goalkeeper for the team.

Bandar Seri Begawan:

Indian High Commissioner to Brunei, Alok Amitabh Dimri termed Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the nation “historic” and said the two nations have been civilizational neighbours.

PM Modi embarked on the visit to Brunei on Tuesday. Notably, this is the first visit by an Indian PM to the nation.

He is expected to hold high-level engagements with Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah and other members of the Royal Family.

Speaking to ANI, the Indian envoy said, “Honourable Prime Minister is on a two-day official tour to Brunei Darussalam on 3rd and 4th September. In our four decades of diplomatic relationship, this is the first bilateral official visit by the Prime Minister of India to Brunei Darussalam. It is a historic moment in our bilateral relationship and also for the Indian community in Brunei Darussalam that high-level bilateral engagement between Prime Minister Shri Modi and His Majesty the King is going to take place.”

He further opened up on the influence of Indian culture in Brunei and said India shares deep historical roots and bonds with Southeast Asia.

“This visit is historic in many ways that Brunei and India have been civilizational neighbours as you know that India shares deep historical roots and bonds with Southeast Asia. The Malayan tradition of this geography which is located in the Borneo Island of Southeast Asian Seas derives deep linkages be it, linguistic, anthropological, ethnic, architectural, religious motives, customs and traditions, norms from India, South India, including words say for example ‘deerghayu’, ‘anugrahhariguru’,” he said.

“There are co-traditions where the Indian manner of greeting the namaskar and pranam is the official manner of greeting the His Majesty,” Mr Dimri added.

Speaking on the outcomes of the Prime Minister’s visit, the High Commissioner said a joint statement and the signing of MoUs are expected.

“We are expecting a joint statement, which would take stock of the bilateral relations and between both countries. The statement is also expected to cover the key areas of interest between both countries. India also has a space station in Brunei, which helps ISRO with some key launches,” he said.

Elaborating on the bilateral ties between the two nations, the Indian envoy said the two countries share warm and friendly relations, adding that “exchanges have been deep.”

He said that the Indian diaspora is deeply entrenched in Brunei, despite the country’s small size and economy. He further noted that there are many different communities in Brunei, including Tamilians, Malyalis, Sindhis, Punjabis, Marathas, and Gujaratis.

“Our exchanges have been deep. Despite the small economy and geography, the Indian diaspora has been deeply entrenched here…Indians have made deep inroads here…There is a prominent Tamilian community, Malyali community, Sindhis and Punjabis and we also see Marathas and Gujaratis.”

Mr Dimri highlighted the unique aspects of Brunei, including its small population and geography, but emphasized that the country’s Indian community has made significant contributions.

“We have to understand the geographies first. This is a very small geography with a population of 4,00,000 people… We call it a subcontinent, but we are a continent-sized country… So there are those imbalances. But then relations never come with the conditions, as I shared with you, that our exchanges have been deep. And despite the small geography and the economy, the Indian traders, exports and Indian diaspora have been deeply entrenched here,” the High Commissioner said.

During the visit, Prime Minister Modi will engage in bilateral discussions on all aspects of bilateral relations and cooperation with Brunei and explore new areas of collaboration.

Brunei is an important partner in India’s ‘Act East’ Policy and its vision for the Indo-Pacific.

Following the first leg of his visit, PM Modi will travel to Singapore for the second leg of his visit from September 4-5.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)