Brunei, a small but relatively new country, has a treasure trove of records and a long list of historic sites. From the ruler’s long and elaborate official name—Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah ibni al-Marhum Sultan Haji Omar Ali Saifuddien Sadul Khairi Waddin—to his claim to be 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 about much more than its oil wealth and splendor.
Connections through language and history
The country is officially known as Negara Brunei Darussalam in its official language Malay or Bahasa Melayu. The Malay word “Bahasa” originates from the Sanskrit word “Bhasha”, meaning language, while “Negra” 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 in honour of the country’s former ruler, Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien III, whose name is derived from the Sanskrit word “Sri Bhagavan”, meaning Almighty God or ‘Blessed One’.
More than a century ago, a historic link with India emerged when James Brooke, a British soldier and expatriate born in Bandel, West Bengal, was granted a significant portion of Brunei’s territory by Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddeen II in 1841 for suppressing a rebellion. Brooke later received the title of raja – derived from the Sanskrit word raja – of Sarawak, now a state in Malaysia, and became known as the White Rajah.
Less active participation
During my recent visit to Bandar Seri Begawan, specifically the Royal Regalia Museum in the heart of the capital, I came across a photograph of an Indian teacher wearing a sari. The photograph shows the current ruler during her student days at Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien College in 1964. Surprisingly, amid the museum’s impressive collection of royal regalia – which also displays lavish state gifts from several heads of state and top ministers from countries such as China, Singapore, Thailand, Pakistan, Ukraine and the US – the Indian gift is attributed to a former Indian High Commissioner, rather than a minister.
Historic visit of Prime Minister
Linguistically and historically, Brunei and India have had long-standing ties. However, their geopolitical ties need to be boosted, especially as India aims to increase its role in the Indo-Pacific region. Notably, no Indian Prime Minister had visited Brunei for bilateral discussions before Narendra Modi launched the visit as part of his proactive Act East policy. Although the Sandhurst-educated Sultan of Brunei 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.
Oil-driven economic partnerships
Brunei boasts a high-income, oil-rich economy. Despite the temporary halt in its oil-driven sector due to the pandemic, Brunei has maintained a currency valued at par with the Singaporean dollar, which is also widely used in the country. India’s primary exports to Brunei include automobiles, transport equipment, rice, and spices. In contrast, India is one of the largest importers of Brunei’s crude oil, with annual imports worth about $500-600 million. At the recently inaugurated 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 “major customers” of Brunei Shell Petroleum (BSP). A significant portion of Brunei’s Indian expatriates, around 15,000, work mainly in the oil and gas sector, and the number of unskilled Indian workers entering the construction and other unorganised sectors has also increased in recent years.
Eye on China
With a 161-km coastline along the South China Sea, home to around 4,50,000 people, Brunei holds both geographical and geopolitical importance in the Indo-Pacific region. The country is a silent claimant to this disputed maritime region, maintaining a delicate balance in its relations with China and other ASEAN neighbours despite China’s growing assertiveness in the region. In May this year, Brunei signed a maritime cooperation agreement with the Philippines, which has recently taken a stance against China’s aggression in the South China Sea, officially referring to the area near its coastline as the West Philippine Sea. Along with this, the Islamic nation has strengthened its defence ties with India in the last few years. Prime Minister Modi’s visit is expected to strengthen this relationship, especially in the wake of China’s growing influence in the region.
Culinary Connection
Interestingly, Chinese immigrants make up more than 10% of Brunei’s population, with about 70% of their ancestors coming from the Taiwanese island of Kinmen. This group fled the heavy shelling by China during the First and Second Taiwan Strait Crisis in the 1950s. Enjoying the traditional ‘roti kacang kahwin’ and ‘roti kuning kahwin’ (the word “roti” means bread in Malay, as it does in Hindi) at Chop Jing Chew, a historic bakery and eatery in Bandar Seri Begawan, I was surprised to see that this Chinese-immigrant-owned place is staffed entirely by Indians. My culinary exploration also revealed that one of Brunei’s most popular and top-rated (by TripAdvisor) restaurants, Riyaaz, is located in a major hotel, managed by a team of Indian chefs and hospitality staff.
The soft power of Bollywood
A visit to Soto Pabo, another famous restaurant located on the banks of the Brunei River, highlighted Brunei’s deep cultural ties with India. I met two elderly Bruneians playing 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, along with his friend and the restaurant owner’s 80-year-old father-in-law, entertained us with a medley of classic Bollywood songs. Old songs like Mukesh’s “Sawan Ka Mahina”, Kishore Kumar’s “Zindagi Ek Safar” and Mohammed Rafi’s “Jo Vaada Kiya” enthralled me. A little later, after tasting their signature Ambuyat set – a traditional Brunei meal – I took a ferry to Kampung Ayer, a traditional water village near the capital. As we walked through mangroves filled with long-nosed proboscis monkeys (pictured) Tintin Adventure, Flight 714), the navigator started singing “Kuch Kuch Hota Hai” upon learning my nationality. The experience reminded me of my visits to Timor-Leste and Indonesia, where locals also fondly remembered the Bollywood classic. It was a profound display of India’s enduring soft power through Bollywood.
While it is encouraging to see the influence of Indian culture in Brunei even before Prime Minister Modi’s visit, India should cooperate more with this small but prosperous country to enhance its strategic position in the region.
(Suvam Pal works as a broadcast journalist with Taiwan Plus news channel in Taipei)
Disclaimer: These are the personal views of the author
