NEW DELHI: President Prabowo Subianto of Indonesia landed in India on Thursday night for his first official visit as the head of state. Subianto is set to be the chief guest at India’s 76th Republic Day celebrations on Sunday and will also engage in a series of significant meetings.
Union Minister of State for External Affairs, Pabitra Margherita, extended a warm welcome to the visiting leader at the airport.
"A heartfelt welcome to President Prabowo Subianto of Indonesia on his arrival in New Delhi for his maiden State Visit to India," wrote MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal on X..
Over the next three days, President Subianto is scheduled to meet with top Indian leaders, including President Droupadi Murmu, Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar. Both nations are expected to review and strengthen cooperation across various sectors such as politics, defense, security, and trade. Several agreements are likely to be finalized to expand collaboration in many areas.
Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) are expected to be signed between the two countries during this visit. Furthermore, the third CEO Forum will also be held as part of Subianto’s engagements.
Fourth Indonesian Leader to Attend Republic Day Celebrations
Prabowo Subianto will become the fourth Indonesian president to participate in India’s Republic Day festivities. Notably, Sukarno, Indonesia’s first president, was the chief guest at India’s inaugural Republic Day in 1950.
For the first time ever, a 352-member Indonesian marching and band contingent will join the Republic Day parade at Kartavya Path in New Delhi. This marks the first instance of an Indonesian contingent taking part in a national day parade abroad.
President Subianto, who previously served as Indonesia's defense minister, assumed office in 2024 after winning the presidential elections. He succeeded former president Joko Widodo, bringing with him a strong military background as a former special forces commander.
Strengthening India-Indonesia Ties
India and Indonesia have witnessed a steady improvement in their bilateral relations over recent years. In 2018, during his visit to Indonesia, Prime Minister Modi elevated the bilateral relationship to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. The Shared Vision of India-Indonesia Maritime Cooperation in the Indo-Pacific was also adopted as part of their commitment to regional cooperation.
Earlier, on November 19, 2024, Modi met Subianto on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Rio de Janeiro to discuss key issues of mutual interest.
Indonesia, a vital part of India’s Act East Policy, is one of the largest trading partners for India within the ASEAN bloc. Bilateral trade between the two nations reached $29.40 billion in 2023. Indian investments in Indonesia total USD1.56 billion, spanning sectors such as infrastructure, power, textiles, steel, automotive, mining, banking, and consumer goods.