Indian businesses and services in Jakarta, Indonesia

Pasar Baru, an old shopping district in Central Jakarta, is the clearest focal point for Indians in the capital. Its arcade and surrounding streets have long been home to textile and tailoring businesses run by Indian families, many of Sindhi and Punjabi descent, who have been in Indonesia for generations, and a Sikh gurdwara stands in the area. Beyond Pasar Baru, Jakarta's Indian and South Asian residents are spread across the city, including many expatriate professionals working in the business districts along Jalan Sudirman and Kuningan.

It helps to know that Hinduism in Indonesia is mostly Balinese in form, so the larger Hindu temples in Jakarta are Balinese-style pura, such as Pura Aditya Jaya in Rawamangun, which follow Balinese practice even though Indian Hindus may visit. Smaller Indian Hindu, Sikh and Muslim congregations meet in community premises, and associations organise Diwali, Holi and other celebrations, often in hotels or rented halls.

Indonesia's largest Tamil community is not in Jakarta but in Medan, North Sumatra, where the Kampung Madras area and the Sri Mariamman Temple reflect a history going back to the plantation era. In Jakarta itself, expect Indian groceries and restaurants to be scattered across malls and neighbourhoods rather than concentrated in one place, and allow plenty of time for traffic when crossing the city.